ARCHJEOLOGIA    AMERICANA. 


ARCH^EOLOGIA  AMERICANA. 


TRANSACTIONS 


COLLECTIONS 


AMERICAN  ANTIQUARIAN  SOCIETY. 


VOLUME    V. 


PRINTED  FOR  THE  SOCIETY. 
1874. 


Special  Committee  Juiving  charge  of  this  Publication^ 


SAMUEL  F.  HAVEN, 
NATHANIEL  PAINE, 
JOEL  MUNSELL. 


- 


A  ,y^. 


THE 

HISTORY  OF  PRINTING 

IN  AMERICA, 

WITH   A 

BIOGRAPHY  OF  PRINTERS, 

AND   AN 

ACCOUNT  OF  NEWSPAPERS. 

IN    TWO    VOLUMES. 


BY  ISAIAH. THOMAS,  LL.D. 

PRINTER,   LATE  PRESIDENT   OF  THE   AMERICAN  ANTIQUARIAN   SOCIETY,   MEMBER  OF 

THE   AMERICAN   PHILOSOPHICAL   SOCIETY,    AND  OF  THE   MASSACHUSETTS 

AND  NEAV  YORK  HISTORICAL  SOCIETIES. 


SECOND    EDITION. 

WZSliti)  tfje  autfjor's  atamcttons  antr 

AND  A  CATALOGUE  OP 

AMERICAN  PUBLICATIONS 

PREVIOUS  TO  THE  REVOLUTION  OF  177(5. 

PUBLISHED  UNDER  THE  SUPERVISION  OF  A  SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 
OF  THE  AMERICAN  ANTIQUARIAN  SOCIETY. 

VOL.  I. 


ALBANY,  N.  Y.: 
JOEL  MUNSELL,   PRINTER 

1874. 


CONTENTS. 

VOL,.     I. 


PAGE. 

PREFACE, ix 

MEMOIR  OF  THE  AUTHOR, xvii 

SPANISH  AMERICA, 1 

FRENCH  AMERICA, 10 

DUTCH  AMERICA, 11 

PORTUGUESE  AMERICA, 11 

ENGLISH  AMERICA,  NOW  THE  UNITED  STATES,        ....  13 

INTRODUCTION  OF  THE  ART, 13 

PAPER  MAKING, 18 

PAPER  MILLS, 25 

TYPE  FOUNDERIES, 27 

STEREOTYPE  PRINTING, 32 

ENGRAVING, 33 

PRINTING  PRESSES, 35 

ROLLING  PRESSES, .37 

MASSACHUSETTS, 38 

CAMBRIDGE, * .        .42 

CATALOGUE  OF  BOOKS   PRINTED  BY  DAYE,        ...  46 

"    GREEN,  ....  63 

"    JOHNSON,   ...  82 

BOSTON, 84 

SALEM, 177 

NEWBURYPORT,  .        .        .  • 179 

WORCESTER, 180 

CONNECTICUT, 184 

NEW  LONDON, 184 

NEW  HAVEN, 188 

HARTFORD, 190 

NORWICH, 192 

RHODE  ISLAND,         , 194 

NEWPORT, 194 

PROVIDENCE, 201 

NEW  HAMPSHIRE, 205 

PORTSMOUTH, 205 

EXETER,                                                                                      ,  207 


345477 


viii  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

PENNSYLVANIA, 

PHILADELPHIA, 

GERMANTOWN,         ...  •  2?0 

LANCASTER •  286 

EPHRATA, 2$7 

NEW  YORK, ...  290 

NEW  YORK, .290 

ALBANY, 313 

NEW  JERSEY, 314 

WOODBRIDGE, 314 

BURLINGTON, 316 

DELAWARE, 318 

WILMINGTON, 318 

MARYLAND, 320 

ANNAPOLIS, 320 

BALTIMORE, 322 

VIRGINIA 330 

WlLLIAMSBURG, 332 

NORTH  CAROLINA, 338 

NEWBERN, 338 

WILMINGTON, 339 

SOUTH  CAROLINA, 340 

CHARLESTON, 340 

GEORGIA, 352 

SAVANNAH, 352 

NEW  STATES, 352 

VERMONT, 353 

KENTUCKY, 354 

TENNESSEE, 354 

OHIO, 354 

MISSISSIPPI  TERRITORY, 354 

MICHIGAN  TERRITORY,  . 354 

LOUISIANA, 355 

BRITISH  COLONIES, 356 

HALIFAX,  NOVA  SCOTIA, 356 

QUEBEC,  CANADA, 302 

APPENDIX, 365 

SEE  INDEX  AT  THE  END  OP  VOL.  II. 


PREFACE. 


The  Committee  appointed  to  supervise  the  republication  of  Tho 
mas's  "  History  of  Printing  in  America,"  have  endeavored  to  carry 
out,  as  nearly  as  practicable,  the  intentions  of  the  author,  disclosed 
in  a  corrected  copy,  left  by  him  for  a  new  edition.1 

This  requirement  being  regarded  as  paramount  to  every  other 
consideration,  no  change  in  the  plan  or  arrangement  has  been  deemed 
justifiable,  beyond  the  apparent  purpose  of  the  writer,  and  the  autho 
rity  expressed  or  implied  in  the  general  statement  of  his  design. 

Mr.  Thomas  made  omissions  and  alterations  in  the  text  of  an 
interleaved  copy,  and  provided  material  for  insertion  not  always 
entirely  digested;  but  his  ideas  in  regard  to  the  manner  of  prepar 
ing  the  work  for  republication  were  sufficiently  indicated  by  what 
he  had  already  accomplished.  He  says,  in  a  memorandum,  that  he 
proposed  to  take  another  copy,  and  make  all  the  alterations,  etc.,  in 
that,  with  more  care }  adding  the  request :  "  If  I  should  not  live  to 
fulfil  my  intention,  and  the  work  should  be  again  printed,  I  hope 
some  friend  will  do  it." 

The  expediency  of  omitting  his  preliminary  account  of  the  begin 
ning  and  progress  of  printing  in  the  Old  World,  has  been  deter 
mined  by  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  rather  than  by  an  intimation 
of  the  author's  wishes.  Mr.  Thomas  had,  indeed,  bestowed  consid 
erable  labor  on  a  revision  of  that  part  of  his  book;  but,  though 
very  desirable  at  the  period  when  he  wrote,  it  has  been  viewed  by 
the  Committee  as  less  adapted  to  the  present  state  of  information  on 
that  subject,  as  requiring  too  much  modification  and  enlargement,  as 
occupying  space  demanded  for  additional  matter  of  an  important 
character,  and  as  not  essential  to  the  special  object  of  presenting  a 
history  of  the  American  Press  The  full  and  interesting  memoir 
of  Mr.  Thomas,  by  an  eminent  descendant,  may,  fitly  and  accept 
ably,  take  the  place  of  an  essay  concocted  with  industrious  research 
from  such  sources  of  information  as  were  then  accessible,  yet  which 


1  The  first  edition  appeared  in  1810. 
B 


x  PREFACE. 

might  appear  to  disadvantage  by  the  side  of  later  and  more  elaborate, 
and  thence  likely  to  be  more  accurate  compilations. 

The  American  Antiquarian  Society  are  gratified  in  being  able  to 
reproduce  the  History  of  Printing  -in  America.  Mr.  Thomas's  great 
and  distinctive  enterprise,  after  his  own  revision,  as  an  appropriate 
memorial  of  their  honored  Founder  and  first  President. 

The  original  book  is  rarely  met  with  in  the  market,  and  large 
prices  have  been  paid  for  copies  occasionally  found.  A  desire  to 
reprint  has  often  been  manifested  by  prominent  publishers,  but  has 
usually  been  connected  with  some  project  impairing  the  identity  of 
the  work,  and  involving  a  continuation  of  the  history  of  the  art,  and 
the  biographical  notices,  to  a  later  period. 

Mr.  Munscll,  who  prints  this  edition,  had  long  held  a  similar 
purpose  in  mind,  and  had  made  collections  with  reference  to  it;  but 
since  the  Antiquarian  Society,  of  which  he  is  a  member,  decided  to 
put  to  press  the  revised  copy  left  in  their  possession,  he  has  given  the 
advantage  of  his  information  and  judgment  to  that  object,  being 
joined  to  the  Committee  in  charge  of  the  publication.  Mr.  Paine, 
the  Treasurer  of  the  Society,  has  served  faithfully  on  the  Committee 
from  the  beginning.  The  principal  responsibility  and  labor  have, 
however,  necessarily  devolved  on  the  chairman,  with  whatever 
accountability  belongs  to  that  position. 

Mr.  Thomas's  account  of  printing  in  Spanish  America  was  not 
satisfactory  to  himself,  from  a  consciousness  of  imperfections  which 
he  could  not  overcome  with  the  means  at  his  command,  and  he  men 
tions  his  expectation  oi  better  facilities  in  the  future.  The  biblio 
graphy  of  that  part  of  the  country  is  now  much  better  understood, 
and  lion.  John  K.  Bartlett,  one  of  the  Society,  who  has  given  spe 
cial  attention  to  the  subject,  kindly  furnishes  a  valuable  paper  relat 
ing  to  it,  which  is  printed  in  an  Appendix. 

At  the  close  of  the  preface  to  his  first  edition,  Mr.  Thomas  says, 
in  a  note:  "  It  was  my  design  to  have  given  a  catalogue  of  the  books 
printed  in  the  English  colonies  previous  to  the  revolution ;  finding, 
however,  that  it  would  enlarge  this  work  to  another  volume,  I  have 
deferred  the  publication  ;  but  it  may  appear  hereafter." 

It  is  extremely  unfortunate  that  this  design  was  not  executed  at 
the  time.  No  person  since  lias  been  so  favorably  situated  for  its 
accomplishment.  Mr.  /Thomas  left  to  the  Antiquarian  Society  se 
veral  memorandum  books  and  loose  sheets  of  foolscap  containing 
titles,  a  considerable  portion  of  which  had  been  transcribed  several 
times,  with  an  effort  to  arrange  them  alphabetically  and  under  the 
names  of  the  places  where  they  were  printed  —  "the  product,"  he 


PREFACE.  xi 

states  "of  many  months'  research.."  His  plan  included  the  insertion 
of  various  points  of  information,  such  as  the  number  of  pages  in 
each  work,  when  known,  and  the  indication  of  reprints  by  a  sign. 
With  titles  collected  from  miscellaneous  sources,  from  newspapers, 
bookseller's  lists,  and  library  catalogues,  in  all  degrees  of  fullness 
and  literalness  of  description,  the  task  of  adjustment  upon  a  rigid 
or  uniform  principle  was  discouraging,  and  was  finally  relinquished, 
with  the  declaration  that  "  all  these  volumes  must  be  revised,  cor 
rected,  and  transcribed,  and  better  arranged." 

Before  the  breaking  out  of  the  recent  rebellion,  the  copying  of 
these  titles,  and  their  rearrangement  in  order  of  date,  a  simpler  and 
better  system  for  the  purpose  in  view,  was  undertaken  by  Samuel 
F.  Haven  Jr.,  M.  D.,  who  had  just  commenced  medical  practice,  with 
some  leisure  for  the  gratification  of  a  literary  taste  and  love  of  in 
vestigation. 

Having  placed  Mr.  Thomas's  titles  upon  cards,  under  the  plan 
adopted.  Dr.  Haven  continued  the  research  for  more.  He  examined 
the  advertisements  of  early  Newspapers,  and  the  Publishers'  an 
nouncements  often  contained  in  old  books,  studied  library  catalogues, 
and  looked  over  libraries  that  were  without  catalogues.  He  had 
the  advantage  of  admission  to  the  unequalled  collection  of  American 
publications  made  by  George  Brinley  Esq.,  of  Hartford,  and  of  the 
cordial  assistance  of  the  accomplished  owner  in  the  examination  of 
its  treasures  and  the  enlargement  of  his  lists. 

The  result  of  much  zeal  and  a  good  deal  of  patient  toil  was  a  card 
catalogue  of  publications  in  this  country  previous  to  the  revolution, 
which  on  brevier  type  would  make  a  volume  of  four  or  five  hundred 
pages. 

Dr.  Haven  left  his  literary  occupations,  and  his  professional  em 
ployments  at  home,  to  accompany  the  15th  Massachusetts  Regiment 
of  volunteers,  one  of  the  earliest  to  enter  into  the  national  service  at 
the  beginning  of  the  late  civil  war.  While  engaged,  as  surgeon  of 
the  regiment,  in  active  duty  under  fire,  at  the  battle  of  Fredericks- 
burg,  he  was  mortally  wounded  by  a  shell  from  the  enemy's  battery. 
Had  he  returned  in  safety  the  catalogue  would  doubtless  have  been 
subjected  to  a  most  careful  preparation  for  the  press.  He  could, 
perhaps,  have  followed  his  memoranda  of  titles  back  to  their  sources 
for  reexamination,  and  by  means  of  his  studies  might,  to  a  certain 
extent,  have  treated  Mr.  Thomas's  titles  in  the  same  way.  Their 
precise  verification  would  demand  the  virtual  impossibility  of  com 
parison  with  the  publications  themselves.  The  most  trusted  autho 
rities  will  sometimes  lead  into  error,  and  the  chances  of  mistake  are 


xii  PREFACE. 

greatly  multiplied  where  vouchers  are  at  secondhand,  or  still  further 
removed  from  their  source,  and  of  informal  and  irresponsible  origin. 
In  adopting  the  catalogue  as  left  by  Dr.  Haven,  without  material 
alteration,  other  than  occasional  abridgment,  the  Committee  believe 
they  shall  substantially  execute  the  cherished  purpose  of  Mr.  Thomas, 
and  attach  to  his  work  what  may  be  claimed  to  be,  in  accordance 
with  the  expression  of  his  own  expectation,  "  the  only  Catalogue  of 
(early)  American  printed  books,  of  any  consequence,  or  in  any  way 
general,  to  be  met  with,  or  that  has  been  made/'  Catalogues  are 
not  wanting  of  American  publications  of  later  periods,  with  which 
many  of  an  early  date  are  mixed ;  but  as  the  basis  of  an  exhaustive 
list  of  both  the  major  and  minor  issues  of  the  American  press,  pre 
vious  to  that  turning  point  of  national  history  known  as  the  lie  volu 
tion,  the  effort  here  presented  stands  by  itself. 

The  first  edition  of  the  History  of  Printing  in  America  was  dedi 
cated  to  "  The  President  ant/  other  Officers  and  Members  of  the 
AMERICAN  PHILOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY  in  Pennsylvania,  and  The 
President,  Counsellors,  and  other  members,  of  the  AMERICAN 
ACADKMY  OF  ARTS  AND  SCIENCES  -in  Massachusetts."  If  the  new 
edition  had  come  from  the  hand  of  the  author  there  is  the  best 
reason  for  presuming  that  it  would  have  been  inscribed  to  the  society 
of  his  chief  interest  and  affections,  the  American  Antiquarian  Society, 
whose  later  birth  and  infancy  had  been  so  largely  the  object  of  his 
care. 

The  following  extracts  from  the  original  Preface  are  all  that  may 
suitably  be  repeated  in  this  place. 

"•  Amidst  the  darkness  which  surrounds  the  discovery  of  many  of 
the  arts,  it  has  been  ascertained  that  it  is  practicable  to  trace  the 
introduction  and  progress  of  Printing,  in  the  northern  part  of  Ame 
rica,  to  the  period  of  the  revolution.  A  history  of  this  kind  has 
not,  until  now,  been  attempted,  although  the  subject,  in  one  point  of 
view,  is  more  interesting  to  us  than  to  any  other  nation.  We  are 
able  to  convey  to  posterity  a  correct  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
we  have  grown  up  to  be  an  independent  people,  and  can  delineate 
the  progress  of  the  useful  and  polite  arts  among  us  with  a  degree  of 
certainty  which  cannot  be  attained  by  the  nations  of  the  old  world, 
in  respect  to  themselves. 

"  I  am  sensible  that  a  work  of  this  kind  might,  in  other  hands,  have 
been  rendered  more  interesting.  It  has  a  long  time  been  the  wish 
of  many,  that  some  person  distinguished  for  literature  would  bring 
it  forward ;  but,  as  no  one  has  appeared  who  was  disposed  to  render 


PREFACE.  xiii 

this  service  to  the  republic  of  letters,  the  partiality  of  some  of  my 
friends  led  them  to  entertain  the  opinion,  that  my  long  acquaintance 
with  Printing  must  have  afforded  me  a  knowledge  of  many  interest 
ing  facts,  and  pointed  out  the  way  for  further  inquiry,  and  that, 
therefore,  I  should  assume  the  undertaking.  Thus  I  have  been, 
perhaps  too  easily,  led  to  engage  in  a  task  which  has  proved  more 
arduous  than  I  had  previously  apprehended;  and  which  has  been 
attended  with  much  expense. 

"  It  is  true,  that  in  the  course  of  fifty  years,  during  which  I  have 
been  intimately  connected  with  the  art,  I  became  acquainted  with 
many  of  its  respectable  professors ;  some  of  whom  had,  long  before 
me,  been  engaged  in  business.  From  them  I  received  information 
respecting  the  transactions  and  events  which  occurred  in  their  own 
time,  and  also  concerning  those  of  which  they  received  the  details 
from  their  predecessors.  By  these  means  I  have  been  enabled  to 
record  many  circumstances  and  events  which  must  soon  have  been 
buried  in  oblivion.  My  long  acquaintance  with  printing,  and  the 
researches  I  made  in  several  of  the  colonies  before  the  revolution, 
certainly  afforded  me  no  inconsiderable  aid  in  this  undertaking; 
and,  to  this  advantage,  I  may  add,  and  I  do  it  with  sincere  and 
•grateful  acknowledgmerUs,  that  I  have  received  the  most  friendly 
attention  to  my  inquiries  from  gentlemen  in  different  parts  of  the 
United  States ;  among  whom  I  must  be  permitted  to  name  the  fol 
lowing,  viz. —  EBENEZER  HAZARD,  esq.  and  judge  J.  B.  SMITH,  of 
Philadelphia  ;  the  hon.  DAVID  RAMSAY,  of  Charleston,  Southcaro- 
lina;  rev.  doctor  MILLER,  of  Newyork ;  rev.  AARON  BANCROFT, 
and  mr.  WILLIAM  SHELDON,  of  Worcester;  the  rev.  THADDEUS  M. 
HARRIS,  of  Dorchester;  the  rev.  doctor  JOHN  ELIOT,  of  Boston; 
and  the  rev.  WILLIAM  BENTLEY,  of  Salem;  Massachusetts.  To 
these  I  must  add,  among  the  elder  brethren  of  the  type,  WILLIAM 
G-ODDARD  and  JOHN  CARTER,  esqrs.  of  Providence ;  and  mr.  THO 
MAS  BRADFORD,  and  the  late  mr.  JAMES  HUMPHREYS,  of  Phila 
delphia.  Many  others  belonging  to  the  profession,  in  various  parts 
of  the  union,  have  laid  me  under  obligations  for  the  information 
they  have  given  me. 

"  Through  the  politeness  of  various  gentlemen,  I  have  had  access 
to  the  ancient  MS.  records  of  the  counties  of  Middlesex  and  Suffolk, 
in  Massachusetts,  where  Printing  was  first  introduced  to  this  coun 
try  ;  to  those  of  the  colony  of  Massachusetts,  and  of  the  university 
of  Cambridge ;  and,  also,  to  those  of  the  United  Newengland  Colo 
nies;  all  of  the  seventeenth  century; — likewise,  to  the  records  of 
several  of  the  southern  states;  and,  to  many  of  the  principal  libra- 


xiv  PREFACE. 

ries  in  different  parts  of  the  United  States.     From  these  documents 
and  institutions  I  have  obtained  much  valuable  intelligence. 

"  Yet,  notwithstanding  all  these  advantages,  I  have  experienced 
much  difficulty  in  collecting,  through  this  extensive  country,  the 
facts  which  relate  to  the  introduction  of  the  art  of  Printing  in  the 
several  states.  These  facts  were  all  to  be  sought  for,  and  the  inquiry 
after  them  had  so  long  been  neglected  that  the  greater  part  of  them, 
would  soon  have  passed  beyond  the  reach  of  our  researches.  Most 
of  the  printers  mentioned  in  these  volumes  have  long  since  been 
numbered  with  the  dead,  of  whom  many  were  but  little  known 
while  living;  yet,  the  essential  circumstances  respecting  them,  as 
connected  with  the  art,  will,  I  believe,  be  found  in  the  following 
pages ;  although  I  cannot  flatter  myself  that  they  will  be  entirely 
free  from  unintentional  errors  or  omissions. 

"The  biographical  sketches  of  printers  are  principally  confined  to 
their  professional  concerns,  and  to  such  events  as  are  connected 
with  them. 

"  Newspapers  are  placed  in  the  proper  order  of  succession,  or  agree 
ably  to  the  periods  in  which  they  were  established  in  the  various 
cities,  towns,  &c. 

"  The  narratives  respecting  such  persons  as  remained  in  business 
after  the  American  revolution,  and  such  newspapers  as  were  con 
tinued  after  this  event,  are  brought  down  to  the  time  when  those 
printers  quitted  business,  or  died,  or  these  publications  were  discon 
tinued.  From  the  settlement  of  the  country  to  the  establishment  of 
the  independence  of  the  United  States,  few  Printers,  and  not  many 
Newspapers,  have,  I  believe,  escaped  my  observation;  and,  I  may 
venture  to  assert  that  the  data  respecting  them  are  as  correct,  as  can, 
at  this  period  of  time,  be  obtained  by  the  researches  of  an  individual. 

"The  history  of  printing  in  America,  I  have  brought  down  to  the 
most  important  event  in  the  annals  of  our  country  —  the  Revolution. 
To  have  continued  it  beyond  this  period,  all  will  admit  would  have 
been  superfluous. 

u  From  the  consideration  that  the  press,  and  particularly  the  news 
papers  to  which  it  gave  birth,  had  a  powerful  influence  in  produc 
ing  the  revolution,  I  have  been  led  to  conceive  there  would  be  much 
propriety  in  giving  accounts  of  the  prosecutions  of  printers  for  pub 
lishing  Libels,  which  occurred  under  the  several  colonial  govern 
ments.  Articles  of  this  description,  will  be  found  in  such  parts  of 
this  work  as  contain  memoirs  of  the  Printers  who  were  prosecuted, 
or  descriptions  of  the  Newspapers  in  which  the  supposed  libels  were 
published. 


PREFACE.  xv 

"  With  a  view  to  gratify  the  admirers  of  typographical  antiquities, 
I  have,  in  several  instances,  given,  as  accurately  as  the  nature  of  the 
case  would  admit,  representations  of  the  titles  of  the  most  ancient 
Newspapers;  from  which  a,  tolerable  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  fashion 
of  the  originals. 

"  Although  a  work  of  this  nature  may  be  principally  interesting 
to  the  professors  of  the  typographic  art,  yet  the  facts  relating  to 
printing  are  necessarily  connected  with  others  which  I  have  thought 
it  proper  to  enlarge  upon.  This  circumstance  may  render  these 
volumes  amusing  to  the  man  of  letters,  and  not  altogether  uninterest 
ing  to  the  antiquary. 

"  I  devoted  sometime  to  obtaining  a  correct  account  of  the  book 
sellers  in  Boston  •  it  having  been  my  intention  to  take  notice  of  all 
who  were  in  the  trade  from  the  first  settlement  of  each  colony  to  the 
year  1775 ;  but  I  discovered  that  particular  information  from  other 
states  respecting  many,  #ho,  in  this  character,  have  passed  over  the 
stage  of  life,  could  not  be  procured,  therefore,  the  statement  is  not 
so  complete  as  I  intended  it  should  be.  But  supposing  that  the  par 
ticulars  which  I  have  collected  may  afford  some  gratification,  I  have 
annexed  them  to  this  work/' 

It  only  remains  to  be  stated  that  the  notes  in  this  edition,  are  those 
of  Mr.  Thomas  unless  accompanied  by  an  initial  letter  or  other  indi 
cation  of  different  authorship.  Thus  B.  is  for  Hon.  John  R.  Bartlett, 
H.  is  for  the  chairman  of  the  Committee,  and  M.  is  for  Mr.  Munsell. 
The  notes  respecting  Paper  Making,  etc.,  in  Pennsylvania,  communi 
cated  by  Mr.  H.  Gr.  Jones  of  Philadelphia,  bear  his  name  or  initials. 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS, 


BY  HIS   GRANDSON 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN  THOMAS. 


"  On  the  5th  of  tlune,  1632,"  says  Governor  "Winthrop, 
"  arrived  in  Boston  the  ship  William  and  Francis,  Mr. 
Thomas  master,  with  about  fifty  passengers — whereof  Mr. 
Welde  and  old  Mr.  Batchelor  (being  aged  71)  were  with 
their  families  and  many  other  honest  men."  This  Mr. 
Thomas,  master,  was,  I  believe,  Evan  Thomas,  who  in  1639 
or  1640  settled  in  the  colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay. 

The  first  notice  of  him  upon  the  colony  records  is  of 
September  1st,  1640.  "  Evan  Thomas,  having  a  wife  and 
four  children,  is  allowed  twenty  bushels  of  corne  at  har 
vest."  He  was  admitted  a  freeman  of  the  colony  in  1641, 
and  a  member  of  the  Artillery  Company  in  1652.  Evan 
was  a  successful  vintner,  paying  into  the  colony  treasury 
from  twenty  to  forty  pounds  a  year  for  licence  or  duty  or  as 
his  proportion  of  the  "  rents  of  wine."  We  are  sorry  to 
have  discovered  any  stain  upon  his  escutcheon ;  but  we  find 
on  the  General  Court  record  this  entry,  October  17th,  1654. 
"  Lieut.  Hudson  and  Evan  Thomas  having  been  ffined  for 
selling  beere  above  two  pence  the  quart  and  ajso  ffor- 
feited  bond  for  appearance  at  the  Court  of  Assistance  to 
answer  the  same ;  this  court  upon  their  pet,  thinkes  meet  to 


xviii         HESTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

remitt  their  bonds,  but  se  no  cause  to  take  off  their  ifines." 
Occasionally,  like  more  modern  merchants  and  vintners, 
Evan  seems  to  have  dabbled  in  speculation  outside  of  his 
regular  line  of  business.  In  the  Suffolk  Registry  of  deeds, 
vol.  2d,  p.  192,  is  recorded  a  receipt  by  Isaac  Allerton  Se 
nior  (one  of  the  principal  men  of  Plymouth  colony  and  its 
first  assistant)  dated  New  Haven,  Nov.  29th,  1653,  for 
one  hogshead  and  four  barrels  of  mackerel  from  Evan 
Thomas,  vintner,  of  Boston,  to  adventure  for  half  profits. 
Evan  died  August  25th,  1661. 

It  is  the  family  tradition  that  Peter  Thomas,  the  grand 
father  of  Isaiah  Thomas,  was  the  grandson  of  Evan.  Peter, 
the  eldest  son  of  George  and  Rebecca  Thomas,  was  born 
in  Boston  February  1st,  1682.  He  married  Elizabeth  Bur 
roughs  the  daughter  of  the  Rev.  George  Burroughs,  who 
in  August,  1692,  was  hung  at  Salem  as  a  witch.  The  only 
evidence  of  his  guilt  consisted  in  the  fact  that  though  of 
rather  small  stature  and  frame  he  had  remarkable  physical 
strength.  The  thorough  research  and  careful  judgment 
of  Mr.  Upham  leave  him  as  man  and  Christian  minister 
without  stain  or  reproach.  He  was  the  victim,  not  of  fanata- 
cism,  but  of  malice  and  perjury.  Peter  was  a  merchant 
and  acquired  a  good  estate.  He  owned  a  store  and  carried 
on  his  business  on  the  town  dock. 

Peter's  fourth  son  was  Moses  Thomas,  soldier,  mariner, 
trader,  farmer,  and  schoolmaster.  Without  the  consent 
or  knowledge  of  his  father,  in  1740  he  enlisted  as  common 
soldier  in  the  expedition  against  Cuba.  His  father,  after 
futile  efforts  to  procure  his  discharge,  secured  him  the 
position, of  clerk  of  one  of  the  officers.  He  was  one  of  the 
few  who  escaped  the  sword,  and  the  more  wasting  pestilence 
of  that  disastrous  expedition.  On  his  return  he  sailed  on 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xix 

a  voyage  to  the  Mediterranean.  Afterwards,  for  some 
years,  he  was  a  school  master  at  Hampstead,  Long  Island. 
Weary  of  teaching  the  "  young  idea  how  to  shoot,"  he 
bought  and  cultivated  a  farm  at  Hampstead.  Soon  tired  of 
this  he  became  a  trader  and  kept  a  store  in  the  village.  He 
was  not  an  exception  to  the  adage  ;  he  gathered  no  moss. 
It  was  while  living  in  Hampstead,  that  he  met,  fell  in  love 
with,  and  married  Fidelity  Grant.  Fidelity  was  a  native  of 
Rhode  Island.  Her  father  was  a  merchant  of  that  colony, 
trading  to  Philadelphia  and  the  West  Indies.  Dying  and 
leaving  his  business  in  a  very  unsettled  condition,  his 
widow,  taking  the  daughter  with  her,  went  to  the  West 
Indies  and  thence  to  Philadelphia  to  settle  his  estate. 
They  had  relatives  in  Hampstead,  and  on  their  return 
went  there  to  reside.  Moses  remained  at  Long  Island 
some  three  or  four  years  after  his  marriage  and  then  re 
turned  to  Boston.  Trying  many  things,  holding  fast  to 
none,  he  wasted  a  few  years  in  Boston,  and  then  went  to 
seek  fortune  in  !N"orth  Carolina,  where  he  died  in  1752. 

His  father,  an  active,  stable,  frugal  merchant,  a  solid 
man  of  Boston,  not  relishing  the  roving  life  and  infirm  pur 
pose  of  his  son,  made  a  will  in  which  he  cut  him  off  with 
five  shillings.  Though  the  father  survived  the  son,  he 
died  without  altering  his  will,  and  the  widow  and  children 
of  Moses  were  left  entirely  destitute.  Two  children,  born 
at  Hampstead,  had  been  left  with  the  relatives  of  their 
mother  at  that  place.  The  relatives  had  become  much  at 
tached  to,  and  desired  to  retain  them.  The  circumstances 
of  the  mother  obliged  her  to  acquiesce.  We  shall  not  ap 
preciate  the  sacrifice  required  of  this  young  mother  of 
twenty-six  years,  unless  we  understand  how  entire  the 
separation  was.  In  1752,  and  till  after  the  revolution,  there 


xx  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

was  no  communication  from  Long  Island  by  mail  to  any 
part  of  the  continent.  Opportunities  for  the  private  con 
veyance  of  letters  seldom  occurred,  the  mother  could  not 
afford  the  expense  of  visiting  her  children,  and  the  result 
was  that,  for  many  years  together,  she  did  not  hear  from 
them. 

Three  children  born  after  the  return  to  Boston  remained 
under  the  mother's  care.  She  had  the  energy  and  business 
capacity  wanting  in  the  father.  She  had  no  money,  but 
she  had  friends  ready  to  help  her  in  the  best  way,  by  ena 
bling  her  to  help  herself.  Women  then  engaged  in  active 
outside  business  more  frequently  than  now.  It  was  a  quite 
common  thing  for  widows,  especially  of  printers,  innkeepers, 
and  traders,  to  take  up  and  carry  on  the  husband's  trade, 
and  not  uncommon  for  them  to  set  up  business  of  their  own. 
The  friends  of  this  young  widow  loaned  her  money  with 
which  to  open  a  small  shop. 

Putting  her  children  to  board  in  the  near  country,  she 
devoted  herself  to  their  support.  By  industry  and  frugality 
she  was  able  to  do  this  and  something  more.  Little  by  little 
she  laid  by  enough  to  purchase  a  small  estate  in  Cambridge. 
This,  she  ultimately  lost.  Having  a  large  price  offered  for 
it  in  Continental  paper,  and  having  faith  that  these  paper 
promises  would  sooner  or  later  be  transmuted  into  silver 
and  gold,  she  sold  house  and  land  and,  the  story  is  short, 
was  one  of  the  thousands  of  victims  of  paper  money.  She 
was  however  never  reduced  to  want,  but  lived  to  a  good  old 
age  to  witness  the  success  of  her  son  and  to  share  the  fruits 
of  it. 

Isaiah  Thomas,  the  youngest  son  of  Fidelity  and  Moses, 
was  born  January  19th,  1749,  old  style.  At  the  age  of  six 
years  he  was  brought  home  to  Boston.  If  he  was  ever  in 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xxi 

a  schoolhouse  it  was  before  his  return.  He  used  to  say 
that  six  weeks  "  schooling  "  was  all  he  ever  had,  and  poor 
at  that.  The  mother  meant  the  boy  should  have  the  com 
mon  school  education  of  the  time,  be  taught  to  read,  write, 
and  cipher,  and  be  trained  to  some  mechanical  pursuit. 

There  was  in  Boston  in  1755,  ZechariahFowle,  a  printer 
and  pedler  of  ballads  and  small  books ;  it  was  the  custom 
of  that  day  to  hawk  about  the  streets  new  publications. 
Mr.  Fowle,  having  no  children  desired  to  take  Isaiah. 
He  promised  the  mother  that  he  would  treat  the  child 
as  his  own,  give  him  a  good  school  education,  instruct 
him  in  the  art  of  printing,  and  if,  when  arriving  at  the  age 
of  fourteen,  the  boy  did  not  wish  to  remain  with  him,  he 
should  be  at  liberty  to  choose  another  place  and  trade.  The 
lad  had  been  with  him  about  a  year,  when  Mr.  Fowle  per 
suaded  the  mother  to  have  him  bound  to  him  as  an  ap 
prentice.  The  writer  has  before  him  the  original  indenture 
of  apprenticeship,  bearing  date  June  4th,  1756.  Its  prin 
cipal  provisions  it  may  be  well  to  give,  not  only  as  an  illus 
tration  of  the  usages  of  the  time,  but  to  enable  us  to  judge 
how.  far,  in  his  dealings  with  the  boy,  the  covenants  o£the 
master  were  kept.  After  fixing  the  time  the  apprenticeship 
was  to  continue — to  the  age  of  twenty-one — the  conditions 
of  the  service  to  Fowle  and  his  wife  and  heirs  are  thus 
stated  :  "  During  all  which  said  time  or  term,  the  said  ap 
prentice,  his  said  master  and  mistress,  well  and  faithfully 
shall  serve ;  their  secrets  he  shall  keep  close ;  their  com 
mandments  lawful  and  honest  everywhere  he  shall  gladly 
obey;  he  shall  do  no  damage  to  his  said  master,  etc.,  nor 
suffer  it  to  be  done  by  others  without  letting  or  giving 
seasonable  notice  thereof  to  his  said  master,  etc. ;  he  shall 
not  waste  the  goods  of  his  said  master,  etc.,  nor  lend  them 


xxii  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

unlawfully  to  any ;  at  cards,  dice,  or  any  other  unlawful 
game  or  games  he  shall  not  play ;  fornication  he  shall  not 
commit;  matrimony  during  the  said  term  he  shall  not  con 
tract  ;  taverns,  alehouses  or  places  of  gaming  he  shall  not 
haunt  or  frequent:  from  the  service  of  his  said  master,  etc., 
by  day  nor  night  he  shall  not  absent  himself;  but  in  all 
things  and  at  all  times  he  shall  carry  and  behave  himself 
towards  his  said  master,  etc.,  and  all  theirs,  as  a  good  and 
faithful  apprentice  ought  to  do,  to  his  utmost  ability  during 
all  the  time  or  term  aforesaid."  The  covenants  of  the  master, 
if  not  so  comprehensive  are  equally  plain  and  explicit. 
"  And  the  said  master  doth  hereby  covenant  and  agree  for 
himself,  his  wife  and  heirs,  to  teach  or  cause  to  be  taught 
the  said  apprentice,  by  the  best  way  and  means  he  can,  the 
art  and  mistery  of  a  printer,  also  to  read,  write  and  cypher ; 
and  also  shall  and  will  well  and  truly  find,  allow  unto,  and 
provide  for  the  said  appprentice,  sufficient  and  wholesome 
meat  and  drink,  with  washing  lodging  and  apparrell,  and 
other  necessaries  meet  and  convenient  for  such  an  appren 
tice,  during  all  the  time  or  term  aforesaid ;  and  at  the  end 
or  expiration  thereof  shall  dismiss  the  said  apprentice  with 
two  good  suits  of  apparrell  for  all  parts  of  his  body,  one 
for  the  Lord's  day,  the  other  for  working  days,  suitable  to 
his  degree." 

Mr.  Fowle  had  a  small  printing  office  and  shop  on  Mid- 

i 

die  street,  near  Cross  street.  His  printing  apparatus  con 
sisted  of  one  press,  one  font  of  small  pica  of  about  three 
hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  about  two  hundred  pounds  of 
English  and  one  hundred  pounds  of  double  pica.  The 
library  of  the  office  was  made  up  of  a  "  tattered  dictionary 
and  an  irikstained  Bible."  The  master  was  a  singular  man, 
irritable  and  rather  effeminate.  With  little  industry,  and  no 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xxiii 

enterprise,  he  was  honest  and  did  work  enough  to  support 
himself  and  wife.  He  was  in  debt  for  his  press  and  types 
when  he  began  business,  and  he  seemed  to  be  equally  care 
ful  not  to  increase  nor  diminish  the  debt. 

Having  got  the  boy  into  his  power,  the  master,  as  the 
apprentice  always  charged,  put  the  lad  to  all  the  servile 
work  he  had  strength  to  do,  and  when  such  work  was  want 
ing  set  him  up  to  the  type  cases.  Such  statements  are  to 
be  taken  with  some  grains  of  allowance,  especially  when 
made  as  to  a  master  on  whose  ignorance  and  want  of  ca 
pacity  the  boy  early  learned  to  look  with  contempt.  The 
call  upon  the  boy  for  services  which  he  regarded  as  menial 
was  not  unusual  in  the  relation  of  master  and  apprentice 
at  that  period.  The  boy,  if  a  member  of  the  master's 
family,  was  expected  to  do  the  "  chores." 

Mr.  Thomas  has  left  in  print,  and  in  brief  memoranda 
before  me,  a  few  anecdotes  which  may  enable  us  to  see 
something  of  the  interior  of  that  little  printing  office,  and 
to  learn  with  how  small  help  and  aid  he  grew  up  to 
manhood.  In  order  that  the  child,  of  seven  years,  might 
reach  the  boxes  to  set  types,  he  was  mounted  on  a  bench 
eighteen  inches  high  and  of  the  length  of  a  double  frame, 
which  contained  cases  of  the  roman  and  italic.  His  first 
essay  with  the  composing  stick  was  on  a  ballad  called  the 
Lawyer's  Pedigree,  the  licentious  character  of  which  gives 
us  an  idea  of  the  taste  and  sense  of  the  master  and  his  in 
terest  in  the  moral  welfare  of  the  boy.  The  child  set  the 
types  for  this  ballad  (double  pica)  in  two  days,  "  though  he 
knew  then  only  the  letters  and  had  not  been  taught  to  put 
them  together  and  spell." 

The  skill  of  the  master  and  his  capacity  to  teach  the  "  art 
andmistery  of  printing"  are  well  illustrated  in  the  following 


xxiv          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

story.  A  young  man,  a  barber's  apprentice,  illiterate,  but 
as  he  fondly  believed  a  favorite  child  of  the  Muses,  com 
posed  a  poem  on  the  proposed  expedition  of  the  British  and 
Provincial  troops  against  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point. 
Unable  to  write  legibly,  the  poet  recited  his  verse  to  a  friend 
whose  pen  put  it  into  black  and  white.  It  was  sent  to 
Mr.  Fowle  to  be  printed  as  quickly  as  possible.  Fowle 
began  to  set  the  types,  the  boy  at  work  near  him.  He 
had  set  but  a  line,  when  he  discovered  the  absence  of 
punctuation  in  the  manuscript.  The  hurried  Muse  had 
made  no  stop  from  beginning  to  end.  The  master  was  in 
sore  distress.  He  had  a  friend  to  whom  he  used  to  apply 
for  aid  and  direction,  but  this  friend  could  not  be  found. 
His  genius  suggested  to  him  a  mode  of  relief  quite  original. 
He  went  to  his  shelves  of  ballads,  took  one  that  he  thought 
would  answer  his  purpose,  and,  placing  it  by  the  side  of  his 
manuscript,  put  at  the  end  of  every  line  of  the  barber's 
poem  the  same  point  that  was  in  the  ballad.  That  the 
subject,  composition  and  metre  of  the  poem  did  not  even 
faintly  resemble  those  of  the  ballad  seems  to  have  given 
him  no  pause.  Young  and  ignorant  as  the  pupil  was,  he 
viewed  the  proceeding  with  surprise.  He  tells  us  that 
with  the  mechanical  part  of  his  work  the  master  had  but 
little  more  acquaintance  than  with  the  rules  of  punctuation. 
The  master  never  taught  the  child  to  read,  write,  or 
cypher,  nor  caused  it  to  be  done  by  others.  His  only  essay 
at  teaching  was  a  weekly  lesson,  on  the  Sabbath,  in  the 
Assembly's  Catechism.  This  was  by  rote  merely.  "  I  re 
collect,"  said  the  pupil,  "  his  putting  me  the  question  from 
the  catechism  '  What  are  the  decrees  of  God  ; '  I  answered 
I  could  not  tell,  and  then,  boy-like,  asked  him  what  they 
were.  He  read  the  answer  from  the  book.  I  was  of 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xxv 

opinion  he  knew  as  little  about  the  matter  as  myself." 
Poor  hoy !  very  likely,  and  as  many  wiser  boys  and  wiser 
men  before  and  since. 

For  three  years,  from  1758  to  1761,  Mr.  Fowle  had  a 
partner,  Samuel  Draper,  a  good  printer  and  kind  man, 
from  whom  the  lad  got  some  valuable  instruction  in  the 
art.  During  the  partnership  the  business  was  not  confined 
to  ballads  and  pamphlets,  but  some  books  were  printed, 
as  Janeway's  Heaven  on  Earth,  Watts's  Psalms,  and  a  large 
edition  of  the  Youth's  Instructor,  a  spelling  book  in  gene 
ral  use  at  the  time.  The  spelling  book  and  Watts,  the 
boy  fully  mastered,  the  "  Heaven  on  Earth"  he  failed  to 
attain.  Fowle  and  Draper  did  not  get  along  very  smoothly, 
and  to  the  sorrow  and  loss  of  the  boy  the  partnership  was 
dissolved.  Thomas  was  then  about  twelve  years  old,  and 
from  this  time  seems  to  have  had  the  principal  charge  of 
the  business  of  the  office.  He  did  the  work  in  his  own 
way,  corrected  the  press  as  well  as  he  could,  and  when  the 
form  was  ready,  Fowle  having  no  other  help,  assisted  him 
at  the  press. 

At  this  period  there  were  few  persons  in  Boston  who 
could  "  cut "  on  wood  or  type  metal.  Thomas  Fleet,  the 
printer  of  the  Boston  Evening  Post,  was  also  a  rival  of  Fowle 
in  the  printing  of  ballads.  Fleet  had  a  negro  who  illus 
trated  his  ballads  by  cuts.  Young  Thomas  was  induced  to 
try  his  hand  in  decorating  those  printed  by  Fowle.  He 
u  cut "  about  an  hundred  plates,  rude  and  coarse  indeed, 
"  but  nearly  a  match,"  he  says,  "  for  those  done  by  the 
negro." 

The  young  printer  found  friends  outside  of  the  office. 
Among  those  whom  he  held  in  grateful  remembrance  was 


xxvi          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

an  old  man  by  the  name  of  Gamaliel  Rogers.  Gamaliel  had 
been  a  printer  of  the  firm  of  Rogers  and  Fowle,  who  printed 
the  first  edition  in  America  of  the  New  Testament  in 
the  English  language.  The  work  had  to  be  done  secretly, 
and  to  bear  the  imprint  of  the  London  copy  from  which 
it  was  reprinted,  to  avoid  prosecution  from  those  who  in 
England  and  Scotland  published  the  Bible  by  a  patent  from 
the  Crown,  or  cum  privilegio,  as  did  the  Universities  of  Ox 
ford  and  Cambridge. 

Rogers's  printing  office  was  destroyed  by  fire  and  he  lost 
most  of  his  property.  With  the  little  that  was  left,  he, 
in  his  old  age,  set  up  a  little  shop  opposite  the  (now  old) 
South  Church.  Thomas  used  to  go  frequently  to  his  store, 
and  the  old  printer  was  very  kind  to  him,  gave  him  some 
of  the  books  which  he  had  printed,  and  what  Mr.  Thomas 
used  to  say  was  of  much  more  value  to  him,  "  he  admon 
ished  me,  diligently  to  attend  to  my  business,  that  I  might 
become  a  reputable  printer.  I  held  him  in  high  veneration 
and  often  recalled  his  instructions,  which  on  many  occasions 
proved  beneficial  to  me." 

This  entrance  upon  the  way  and  work  of  life  is  not  pro 
mising,  but  the  spirit,  energy,  and  strength  of  will  of  the 
boy  will  make  way  for  him.  There  is  in  him  the  germ  of 
a  noble  manhood,  and  in  the  school  of  early  struggle  and 
narrowest  fortune  he  will  develop  it.  The  printing  office, 
as  the  history  of  our  country  has  abundantly  shown,  is  one 
of  the  best  of  schools,  and  printing  the  most  encyclopedic 
of  arts.  In  helping  to  diffuse  knowledge  the  printer  ac 
quires  it ;  in  lighting  the  torch  for  others,  he  kindles  his 
own.  Self-developed,  he  will  be  strongly  developed.  We 
are  apt  in  our  day  to  over- value  the  facilities  of  culture ; 
there  may  be  too  much  dandling  and  nursing.  Vigor  and 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xxvii 

self-reliance  come  from  effort  and  trial.  The  tattered  dic 
tionary,  the  ink-stained  Bible,  the  spelling  book  and  Watty's 
Psalms ;  there  is  food  enough  in  these  for  large  and  vigor 
ous  growth. 

Thomas  continued  in  the  service  of  Mr.  Fowle  ten  or 
eleven  years.  In  this  time  he  had  acquired  the  elementary 
branches  of  learning,  could  think  for  himself,  write  good, 
plain  English,  with  a  dash  of  satire  in  it,  put  his  thought 
in  type  without  writing,  and  make,  so  he  told  the  writer, 
tolerable  verses  for  the  poet's  corner.  He  made  the  most 
diligent  use  of  the  means  and  opportunities  within  his 
reach  to  learn  the  art  of  printing.  He  was  esteemed  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  an  excellent  workman.  He  loved 
the  art,  and  had  an  earnest  desire  to  go  to  London  to 
perfect  himself  in  it.  In  his  old  age  he  used  to  say  that  if 
he  could  live  his  life  over  again,  and  choose  his  employment, 
it  would  be  that  of  a  printer.  He  evinced  quite  early  a 
strong  taste  for  reading,  and  a  fondness  of  theatrical  enter 
tainments  —  private  they  must  have  been  for  there  was  then 
no  theatre  in  Boston.  Tall  and  handsome  in  person,  of 
attractive  manners,  neat  and  careful  in  his  dress,  the  young 
printer  impressed  favorably  the  men,  and  most  favorably 
the  women,  with  whom  he  was  brought  in  contact.  He 
had  fitted  himself  to  do  useful  work  in  the  world,  and  there 
was  work  for  him  to  do. 

At  three  different  times  in  early  boyhood  his  life  was 
in  imminent  peril.  On  one  of  the  occasions  (1756),  he  was 
playing  with  a  young  boy  in  a  woodshed,  where  there  was 
a  large  cistern  of  rain  water,  left  at  the  time  uncovered. 
The  boy  pushing  young  Thomas  with  a  stick,  he  fell  back 
into  the  cistern.  His  companion  was  too  much  frightened 
to  assist  or  even  to  give  notice  of  what  he  had  done.  Mean- 


xxviii         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

time  the  little  printer  was  drowning.  There  was  near  to 
the  shed  a  tallow  chandler's  shop.  An  aged  negro,  Boston 
Peckens,  at  work  in  the  shop,  somehow  or  other  discovered 
that  the  boy  was  in  the  cistern  and  came  to  his  rescue. 
By  means  of  the  pole  with  a  hook  on  the  end  of  it,  used  to 
draw  the  bucket  of  water  from  the  cistern,  he  brought  him 
to  the  surface  and  took  him  out.  He  was  insensible,  but 
with  the  help  of  rubbing  and  other  appliances  was  restored. 
Thomas,  grateful  to  his  kind  preserver,  used  to  express  his 
deep  regret  that  the  old  man  died  before  it  was  in  his 
power  to  give  him  any  substantial  proof  of  his  gratitude. 

About  a  year  after  this,  the  lad  was  standing  at  an 
oyster  board  on  the  town  dock,  before  it  was  filled  up. 
A  man  called  for  oysters.  The  oyster  vender,  having 
no  bread,  the  buyer  asked  the  lad  to  go  to  a  shop  and 
get  him  a  biscuit;  and  the  weather  being  unpleasant, 
went  on  board  the  oyster  vessel  to  eat  his  oysters. 
The  boy  returning  with  his  biscuit  tried  to  jump  on 
board.  Not  springing  far  enough  he  fell  into  the  water. 
It  was  dark,  and  he  was  nearly  drowned  before  he  was  dis 
covered.  The  gentleman  impatient  for  his  biscuit  came 
on  deck  to  look  for  his  messenger.  He  heard  a  noise  in 
the  water  and  the  first  thing  he  saw  was  the  biscuit,  by 
which  he  judged  the  boy  was  not  far  off.  He  was  soon 
found,  taken  up  and  carried  home. 

The  third  of  these  accidents,  in  1758  or  1759,  so  connects 
itself  with  the  manners  of  the  time  that  it  may  be  well  to 
state  it  with  some  detail.  Nowhere  in  the  British  do 
minions  was  the  fifth  of  November,  the  anniversary  of  the 
discovery  of  the  Gunpowder  Plot,  celebrated  with  more 
zeal  and  zest,  and  mock  pomp  and  ceremony,  than  in  the 
good  town  of  Boston.  Strife  and  rivalry  had  for  sometime 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xxix 

existed  between  the  north  and  south  ends  of  the  town,  which 
should  have  the  more  august  celebration  and  soonest 
put  to  rout  the  procession  and  parade  of  the  other.  The 
line  of  division  between  the  North  and  the  South  was 
the  old  Mill  creek,  now  Blackstone  street.  Collections 
were  levied  upon  the  inhabitants  on  the  morning  of  the 
day ;  asked  for,  but  few  thought  it  quite  safe  to  refuse. 
The  money  was  spent  in  part  for  the  pomp  and  circum 
stance  of  war,  and  largely  for  liquor.  The  principal 
effigies  of  the  pope  and  the  devil,  the  supposed  insti 
gators  of  the  plot,  were  placed  upon  a  stage  mounted  on 
cart  wheels  and  drawn  by  horses.  At  the  front  of  the  stage 
was  a  large  lantern  of  oiled  paper,  four  or  five  feet  wide 
and  eight  or  nine  feet  high.  On  the  front  was  painted  in 
large  letters,  "  The  devil  take  the  pope  ;"  and  just  below 
this  "  North  end  forever"  or  "  South  end  forever."  Behind 
the  lantern  sat  the  pope  in  an  arm  chair,  and  behind  the 
pope  was  the  devil  standing  erect  with  extended  arms,  one 
hand  holding  a  smaller  lantern,  the  other  grasping  a  pitch 
fork.  The  heads  of  pope  and  devil  were  on  poles  which  went 
through  their  bodies  and  the  stage  beneath.  Boxed  up 
out  of  sight  sat  a  boy  whose  mission  was  to  sway  the  heads 
from  side  to  side  as  fancy  suggested.  The  devil,  without 
consideration  for  his  home  climate,  was  clad  in  tar  and 
feathers  "  from  top  to  toe,"  "  from  head  to  foot."  Other 
effigies  were  sometimes  seen,  suspended  from  gallows,  of 
persons  who  had  incurred  the  indignation  and  hatred  of  the 
mob,  as  the  Pretender,  Admiral  Byng,  Earl  Bute,  and  Lord 
North.  Ancillary  devils  and  popes  were  drawn  or  carried 
by  men  and  boys,  as  various  in  size  as  the  men  and  boys 
who  bore  them ;  some  even  on  shingles  and  bits  of  board. 
Assembling  about  dusk,  North  end  and  South  end  under 


xxx          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

their  respective  leaders,  processions  were  formed,  the  lan 
terns,  great  and  small,  lighted,  and  through  a  speaking 
trumpet  the  order  was  given  to  "  move  on."  With  this  the 
noise  and  tumult  began,  the  blowing  of  conch  shells,  whis 
tling  through  the  fingers,  beating  with  clubs  the  sides  of  the 
houses,  cheering,  huzzaing,  swearing,  and  rising  above  all 
the  din  the  cry  "  North  end  forever"  or  "  South  end  for 
ever."  The  devils  on  the  stages  were  not  the  only  or  chiefest 
proof  that  the  under  world  was  let  loose.  The  procession 
that  first  reached  the  Mill  creek  gave  three  cheers  and 
rushed  on  to  meet  their  foes.  As  they  approached  the 
strife  began;  clubs,  stones,  and  brickbats  were  freely  used, 
and  though  persons  were  not  often  killed,  bruised  shins, 
broken  heads  and  bones,  were  not  infrequent. 

It  was  on  one  of  these  "  peaceful  nights  "  when  the  ISTorth- 
enders  had  been  as  far  south  as  the  elm  tree,  soon  after  so 
well  known  as  the  Liberty  Tree,  and  were  on  their  re 
turn,  masters  of  the  situation,  though  now  and  then  re 
ceiving  a  complimentary  brick  from  South-enders  secreted 
in  lane  or  passage  way,  that  our  little  printer,  with  a  large 
bump  of  curiosity  and  a  small  one  of  caution,  pressed 
through  the  crowd  to  read  the  labels  on  the  lanterns.  A 
brick  aimed  at  the  lantern,  lighted  on  his  head  and  struck 
him  to  the  ground.  The  chances  were  for  the  little  fellow 
to  be  trampled  to  death  by  the  rushing  crowd,  but  as  his 
good  fortune  or  a  kind  Providence  would  have  it,  the  first 
rnan  whose  foot  struck  him,  hearing  his  groans  lifted  him 
up,  and  persons  coming  around  with  lights,  one  of  them 
recognized  him,  took  him  in  his  arms,  and  carried  him  to 
his  master's  house.  A  surgeon  being  sent  for,  it  was  found 
that  no  bone  was  broken,  and  in  a  few  days  he  was  able  to 
return  to  his  types.  Such  is  in  substance  the  account  given 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xxxi 

by  Mr.  Thomas  in  later  years.  It  does  not  speak  very  well 
for  the  refinement  of  manners  of  what  was  then  the  most 
cultivated  town  of  British  America,  and  is  worth  perhaps 
the  passing  notice  of  those  who  are  continually  asking  "  why 
the  former  days  were  better  than  these." 

In  1766,  between  17  and  18  years  of  age,  the  apprentice 
had  what  he  called  a  "  serious  fracas  "  with  his  master.  I 
can  throw  no  light  upon  the  cause,  merits  or  demerits,  of 
the  quarrel.  Thomas  left  Boston  secretly,  taking  passage 
for  Halifax,  with  the  hope  of  finding  his  way  from  Halifax 
to  London,  to  acquire  a  more  perfect  knowledge  of  printing. 
In  this  he  was  wholly  disappointed.  So  far  from  obtain 
ing  the  means  of  going  to  England  it  was  difficult  to  earn 
his  daily  bread.  He  found  work  and  wages  to  pay  board 
and  lodging  with  one  Anthony  Henry.  Henry  was  a  good- 
natured,  heavy  moulded  Dutchman,  who  had  been  a  printer 
in  his  youth,  but  left  his  master  and  came  to  Halifax  as  fifer 
in  a  British  regiment.  There  being  no  printing  office  in 
the  province,  Henry  got  discharged  from  military  service 
and  set  up  the  business.  It  might  not  seem  the  easiest 
thing  in  the  world  for  a  fifer  to  find  means  to  purchase 
press  and  types.  But  there  was  a  pastry  cook  in  Halifax, 
of  African  descent,  who  had  acquired  a  snug  little  property. 
Henry  married  her,  endowed  himself  with  her  wordly 
goods,  and  with  them  purchased  printing  materials  and  built 
a  house.  Some  three  years  after  the  marriage  the  pastry 
cook  died  without  issue.  The  relict  was  left  in  comfort 
able  condition.  He  was  a  cheerful,  good  natured  fellow, 
not  very  skillful  in  his  art,  and  loving  his  ease.  He  was 
at  the  time  of  Thomas's  arrival  the  printer  and  publisher 
of  the  Halifax  Gazette,  and  government  printer.  The  mas 
ter  indolent,  and  the  young  man  ambitious  and  willing  to 


xxxii         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

work,  the  editing  and  printing  the  Gazette  soon  fell  into 
his  hands.  He  is  found  quite  competent  to  the  task.  He 
remodelled  the  paper  as  well  as  he  could  with  the  means 
he  had,  and  went  to  work. 

Thomas  was  fresh  from  the  debates  of  Boston,  and  brought 
with  him  the  Boston  notions  of  liberty.  The  Gazette  soon 
after  his  arrival  was  printed  on  stamped  paper.  Thomas 
could  not  brook  this,  an  da  paragraph  appeared  in  its  columns 
stating  that  "  the  people  of  the  province  were  disgusted 
with  the  stamp  act."  The  paragraph  gave  great  offence 
to  the  loyal  government  of  that  loyal  province,  and  Henry 
was  called  to  account  for  printing  sedition.  He  had  not 
even  seen  the  paper  in  which  the  seditious  paragraph  was 
published,  and  pleaded  ignorance,  saying  that  the  paper  in 
his  absence  was  conducted  by  his  journeyman.  He  was 
reprimanded,  and  threatened  with  the  loss  of  the  public 
printing  if  anything  of  the  kind  should  again  be  found  in 
his  columns. 

The  young  patriot  could  not  keep  quiet,  and,  soon  after, 
a  paragraph  of  the  same  import  appeared.  This  time  the 
master  pleaded  that  he  had  been  confined  to  his  house  by 
sickness,  and  made  a  most  humble  apology.  The  young 
journeyman  was  sent  for  by  the  secretary  of  the  province. 
He  was  probably  not  known  to  the  secretary,  who  sternly 
asked  him  what  he  wanted. 

A.  Nothing,  sir. 

Q.  Why  came  you  here  ? 

A.  Because  I  was  sent  for. 

Q.  What  is  your  name  ? 

A.  Isaiah  Thomas. 

Q.  Are  you  the  young  New  England  man  that  prints 
for  Henry? 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xxxiii 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  dare  you  publish  in  the  Gazette  that  the  people 
of  Nova  Scotia  were  displeased  with  the  Stamp  Act. 
A.  I  thought  it  was  true. 

O 

Secretary.  You  had  no  right  to  think  so.  If  you  publish 
any  more  of  such  stuff  you  shall  be  punished.  You  may 
go,  but  remember  you  are  not  in  New  England. 

T.  I  will,  sir. 

Not  long  after  the  interview  the  year's  stock  of  stamped 
paper  for  the  Gazette,  some  six  reams  only,  arrived  from 
England.  It  was  soon  discovered  that  the  paper  had  been 
denuded  of  the  stamps,  and  in  the  next  Gazette  was  a  notice 
that  "  all  the  stamped  paper  had  been  used,  and  as  no  more 
could  be  had  the  paper  would  in  future  be  published  with 
out  stamps." 

A  few  days  later  a  vessel  came  from  Philadelphia  bring 
ing  the  newspapers  published  in  that  city,  among  others  the 
Pennsylvania  Journal  in  full  mourning  for  the  passage  of 
the  Stamp  Act.  Thick  black  lines  surrounded  the  pages 
and  were  placed  between  the  columns.  A  death's  head  and 
cross-bones  were  over  the  title,  and  at  the  bottom  of  the 
last  page  was  the  figure  of  a  cofiin,  beneath  which  was 
printed  the  age  of  the  paper  with  the  statement  that  it  had 
died  of  a  disorder  called  the  Stamp  Act.  Thomas  wished 
to  do  the  like  with  the  Gazette.  To  do  it  directly  was  a 
little  too  hazardous.  As  near  an  imitation  was  made  of 
the  Journal  as  possible,  and  the  Gazette  appeared  with  this 
notice.  "  We  are  desired  by  a  number  of  our  readers  to 
give  a  description  of  the  extraordinary  appearance  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Journal  of  the  30th  of  October  last  (1765). 
We  can  in  no  better  way  comply  with  their  request  than 


xxxiv       HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

by  the  exemplification  we  have  given  of  that  Journal  in 
this  day's  Gazette."  The  publication  made  no  small  stir  in 
the  town,  but  led  to  no  immediate  action. 

One  morning  soon  after,  an  effigy  of  the  stamp  master 
and  one  of  Lord  Bute  were  found  suspended  on  the  public 
gallows,  behind  the  citadel.  The  officers  of  the  govern 
ment,  who  had  prided  themselves  upon  the  good  behavior 
of  the  province,  were  dismayed.  Somehow  or  other  a  sus 
picion  prevailed  that  the  young  printer  from  Boston  might 
have  some  knowledge  of  the  matter.  A  sheriff  thereupon 
went  to  the  printing  office  and  told  Thomas  he  had  a  pre 
cept  against  him  and  meant  to  take  him  to  prison  unless 
he  gave  information  of  the  persons  engaged  in  the  trans 
action.  The  sheriff  stated  some  circumstances  which  had 
convinced  him  that  Thomas  himself  had  been  engaged  in 
these  seditious  proceedings.  Thomas  making  no  reply  to 
the  kind  suggestions,  the  sheriff  ordered  him  to  go  with 
him  before  a  magistrate.  In  the  simplicity  of  his  heart 
he  was  about  to  go,  when  it  occurred  to  him  that  the 
action  of  the  sheriff  might  be  merely  intended  to  alarm 
him  into  an  acknowledgment  of  his  privity  with  the  se 
ditious  acts.  He  thereupon  told  the  sheriff  that  he  had  not 
the  pleasure  of  knowing  him,  and  demanded  to  be  told 
by  what  authority  he  acted.  The  sheriff  replied  that  he  had 
sufficient  authority.  On  being  requested  to  show  it,  the 
officer  was  evidently  disconcerted,  but  answered  he  would 
show  his  authority  when  necessary,  and  again  ordered  the 
"printer  of  sedition,"  as  he  was  pleased  to  call  him,  to  go 
with  him.  Thomas  replied  he  would  not  obey  unless  the 
sheriff  produced  his  precept  or  proper  authority  for  taking 
him  prisoner.  After  further  parley  the  officer  left  him 
with  the  assurance  that  he  would  soon  return  ;  but  Thomas 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xxxv 

saw  him  no  more,  and  afterwards  learned  that  this  was  a 
plan  concerted  for  the  purpose  of  surprising  him  into  con 
fession.  There  was  too  old  a  head  on  those  young  shoul 
ders  for  such  a  trap. 

Such,  in  substance,  is  the  narrative  Mr.  Thomas  left  us 
of  his  sojourn  at  Halifax.  He  has  not  in  this  history  dis 
closed  the  circumstances  of  extreme  poverty  to  which  he 
was  reduced.  He  used  to  say,  not  without  satisfaction  in 
the  contrast  with  his  affluent  condition  in  later  life,  that 
his  linen  was  reduced  to  one  check  shirt,  and  that  the 
only  coat  he  had  he  sent  to  a  tailor  to  turn,  and  the  tailor 
ran  away  with  it. 

Henry  had  no  little  liking  for  his  young  and  quick-witted 
journeyman,  but  it  became  plain  that  he  must  part  with 
him  or  with  the  government  business,  and  Thomas,  after 
seven  months'  residence,  left  Halifax  in  a  $"ew  England  sloop 
bound  for  Portsmouth,  ~New  Hampshire.  The  compensa 
tions  of  life  are  greater  than  men  think.  In  what  school 
or  university  could  a  boy  of  eighteen  years  have  got  so 
much  or  so  valuable  training,  discipline,  and  self-reliance,  as 
this  young  printer  got  in  that  obscure  newspaper  office  in 
Halifax. 

On  his  arrival  at  Portsmouth  the  people  were  celebrating 
with  great  enthusiasm  the  repeal  of  the  Stamp  Act.  His 
presence  at  Portsmouth  was  suspected  by  his  Boston  friends 
by  the  remodelling  and  improvement  in  the  newspaper  on 
which  he  worked,  which  must  have  been  either  the  New 
Hampshire  Gazette,  printed  by  Daniel  aaid  Robert  Fowle, 
or  the  Portsmouth  Mercury,  printed  by  Furber  and  Russell. 
Mr.  Fowle  learns  that  he  is  in  Portsmouth,  and  invites 
him  to  return  to  Boston.  He  comes  back  and  goes  to  his 
old  master,  who  fails  to  recognize  him.  He  returns  to  his 


xxxvi       HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

service  and  gets  along  quietly  for  a  few  weeks.  In  July 
1766,  on  the  day  of  the  funeral  of  Jonathan  Mayhew,  whom 
the  whole  town  followed  to  his  grave,  he  has  fresh  trouble, 
but  the  difficulty  is  compromised  and  he  lives  with  him 
once  more.  He  remains  but  a  few  weeks  and  then,  with 
the  full  consent  of  his  master,  leaves  his  service  finally. 

Young  as  he  was  he  seems  to  have  thought  of  setting 
up  for  himself.  On  the  look  out  for  place  and  opportunity, 
he  receives  an  invitation  from  a  captain  of  a  vessel  to  go 
with  him  to  Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  where,  he  was  as 
sured,  a  printer  was  wanted.  With  all  the  new  facilities 
of  intercourse  it  would  require  no  little  pluck  now  for  a 
youth  of  eighteen  to  leave  Boston  and  go  to  North  Carolina 
to  establish  himself  in  business  ;  especially  if  he  had  neither 
friends  there  nor  money.  But  the  young  man  had  more 
courage  than  prudence  or  stability.  Industrious,  enter 
prising,  and  fearless,  he  had  yet  to  acquire  the  steadiness  of 
will  and  purpose  which  afterwards  characterized  him  arid 
assured  success. 

A  violent  storm  compelled  the  captain  to  put  in  for  a 
while  at  Holmes  Hole  at  the  Vineyard.  From  this  port 
he  went  to  Newport,  and  took  in,  as  a  passenger,  Martin 
Howard  who,  during  the  excitement  of  the  Stamp  Act,  had 
been  hung  in  effigy  at  Newport,  his  house  destroyed  and 
his  person  injured.  Howard  was  afterwards  appointed 
chief  justice  of  North  Carolina,  and  used  to  say  he  had  no 
quarrel  with  the  "  Sons  of  Liberty"  at  Newport,  for  they 
had  made  him  chief  justice  of  North  Carolina,  with  a 
thousand  pounds  sterling  a  year.  On  the  voyage  the  young 
printer  got  acquainted  with  the  future  judge,  who  advised 
him  (advice  costs  nothing)  to  set  up  a  press  in  Wilmington, 
and  promised  him  his  countenance  and  support.  On  going 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xxxvii 

ashore  at  Wilmington,  Thomas  was  introduced,  by  the 
captain  of  the  ship,  to  a  lady  who  kept  a  coffee-house  in 
the  town,  and  who  seems  to  have  been  greatly  impressed, 
if  not  charmed,  by  the  young  JSTew  England  man.  The 
good  lady  proposes  to  him  a  partnership  in  business,  he  to 
print  and  publish  a  newspaper,  she  to  keep  the  coffee  house, 
and  the  profits  of  the  two  concerns  to  be  equally  divided 
between  them.  Whether  the  partnership  was  to  be  further 
extended  does  not  appear.  Under  the  advice  of  Mr. 
Howard,  and  other  gentlemen,  young  Thomas  waited  upon 
Lieutenant  Gov.  Tryon,  then  acting  governor  of  the  colony, 
afterwards  famous  and  infamous  in  the  history  of  the  re 
volution.  The  governor  encouraged  him  to  remain,  and 
flattered  him  that  he  should  be  favored  with  a  part  of  the 
government  printing.  It  may  be  doubted  whether  Mr. 
Howard  or  the  governor  knew  much  of  the  young  man's 
opinions  or  recent  history. 

There  was,  as  before  suggested,  a  somewhat  formidable 
difficulty  in  his  setting  up  the  business  of  printing  in  Wil 
mington  or  elsewhere.  He  had  not  press,  or  types,  or 
money  to  buy  them.  But  something  in  the  young  man 
won  confidence  and  credit.  There  was  at  Wilmington  a 
printer,  Andrew  Stuart,  who  had  fallen  into  disfavor  and 
was  about  to  leave  the  town.  He  had  a  press  and  three 
small  fonts  of  letters  for  sale.  Some  gentlemen  of  Wil 
mington  offered  to  advance  money  on  a  long  credit  to  en 
able  Thomas  to  make  the  purchase.  Stuart,  sensible  that 
Thomas  could  not  get  a  press  and  types  elsewhere,  asked 
about  three  times  as  much  for  them  as  they  cost  when  new. 
After  some  chaffering  he  came  down  to  about  double  the 
cost  price.  Finding  that  Thomas  could  raise  the  money 
he  insisted  upon  including  in  the  sale  a  negro  woman  and 


xxxviii     HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

her  child.  Thomas  concluded  to  take  press,  types,  woman 
and  child,  when  the  seller  insisted  upon  adding  to  the  sale 
his  household  furniture.  This  broke  off  the  negotiation, 
and  when  Stuart  relented  it  was  too  late.  Thomas  had 
become  discouraged  at  the  aspect  and  business  look  of  the 
place.  The  little  money  he  had  was  gone,  and  his  desire 
to  go  to  England  revived.  Though  a  merchant  of  Wilming 
ton  offered  to  send  to  London  for  printing  apparatus  by 
the  first  opportunity,  neither  this,  nor  the  landlady's  tender 
of  partnership,  had  power  to  detain  him. 

To  reach  England  being  still  his  prevailing  wish,  he  en 
gages  as  steward  on  board  the  brig  in  which  he  came  as  a 
passenger  from  Boston,  and  which  was  now  to  sail  for  the 
West  Indies,  with  the  hope  of  readily  finding  his  way  from 
the  West  Indies  to  London.  The  change  of  relation  from 
passenger  to  steward  seems  to  have  worked  a  sudden  change 
in  the  feelings  of  the  captain  of  the  brig.  Thomas  finds 
the  labors  of  his  new  position  hard  and  disagreeable.  Twice 
he  is  sent  in  a  boat  up  the  river  with  slaves  fresh  from 
Africa  to  procure  lumber.  The  captain  requires  him  to 
attend  him  on  shore  with  a  lantern  and  to  wait  on  him  as 
a  servant.  The  young  man's  pride,  and  he  had  a  good 
stock  of  it,  revolts  at  this  treatment,  and  he  determines  that 
he  will  not  go  with  him.  The  will  with  him  was  apt  to 
find  the  way.  He  rose  soon  after  midnight,  "  dressed  him 
self  in  his  long  clothes"  and  sat  on  the  quarter  deck  wish 
ing,  like  Paul  and  his  fellow  voyagers,  for  the  day.  He 
recollects  at  the  moment  a  letter  of  recommendation  which 
had  been  given  him  by  a  gentleman  in  Newport  to  Robert 
Wells,  a  printer  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  He  leaves 
the  brig  with  the  first  break  of  dawn  and  goes  in  search  of 
a  vessel  bound  for  Charleston.  He  finds  a  packet  that  is 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xxxix 

to  sail  in  three  days,  engages  a  passage,  and  then  seeks  the 
captain  of  the  hrig  and  asks  for  a  dismission  from  his  ser 
vice,  which  the  captain  very  reluctantly  grants.  After  the 
dismission,  the  captain  was  again  quite  friendly,  and  assisted 
him  in  procuring  some  provisions  for  the  voyage.  He  had 
been  employed  some  ten  days  in  the  service  of  the  brig 
without  visiting  the  lady  of  the  coffee  house.  He  goes  to 
see  her  and  meets  with  the  same  kind  reception  as  before. 
The  project  of  the  partnership  is  renewed,  and  he  is  to  go  to 
Charleston,  work  till  he  could  provide  materials  for  his 
printing  house,  and  then  return  to  Wilmington  to  put  his 
plan  into  execution.  He  goes  on  board  the  packet.  As 
it  was  about  leaving  the  wharf,  the  lady  sends  by  her  maid 
a  present  of  stores  for  the  voyage.  She  lived  but  a  few 
steps  from  the  wharf,  and  he  must  needs  step  on  shore  and 
thank  her  for  the  kindness.  As  he  is  conversing  with  her, 
he  sees  the  packet  under  way,  and  leaving  his  thanks  half 
paid,  he  runs  to  the  wharf,  but  the  vessel  had  gone.  He 
hastens  to  a  lower  wharf,  but  is  too  late.  He  meets  the 
captain  of  the  brig,  who  befriends  him  in  his  distress,  takes 
his  own  boat  with  two  men  and  after  rowing  an  hour,  the 
weather  being  calm,  overtakes  the  packet  and  puts  him 
on  board. 

The  packet  had  a  slow  passage  down  the  river.  After 
its  arrival  at  Fort  Johnson  it  was  detained  a  week  by  head 
winds.  The  provisions  were  exhausted  and  a  contribution 
was  called  for  to  get  a  uew  supply.  Thomas  was  obliged 
to  borrow  a  dollar  to  make  up  his  share.  The  captain  had 
to  send  back  a  boat  thirty  miles  to  procure  the  supplies. 
On  their  arrival  they  set  sail  and  had  a  quick  passage  to 
Charleston.  The  young  man's  mortification  does  not  end 
here.  He  has  no  money  to  pay  his  passage ;  he  leaves  his 


xl  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

chest  in  pledge  and  hurries  on  shore  to  find  employment. 
In  the  space  of  two  hours  he  had  visited  all  the  printers  in 
Charleston  in  fruitless  search  of  work.  They  were,  how 
ever,  very  kind  to  him.  One  of  them,  Mr.  Couch,  invites 
him  to  dine  with  him  and  to  make  his  house  his  home, 
working  as  he  pleased  "  till  he  could  better  himself." 

Soon  after  he  receives  an  offer  of  small  wages  from 
Mr.  Wells  and  accepts  it.  Applying  himself  closely  and 
diligently  to  his  work,  after  ten  days  he  asks  of  his  em 
ployer  seven  dollars  and  goes  in  search  of  the  packet  to 
redeem  his  chest.  He  is  dismayed  to  find  that  the  packet 
had  already  returned  to  Wilmington.  Upon  farther  in 
quiry  he  learns  that  his  chest  is  stored  in  the  warehouse 
of  the  owner  of  the  packet.  He  pays  his  passage  money 
and  the  dollar  he  had  borrowed,  and  is  as  happy  as  if  a 
fortune  had  poured  her  full  horn  into  his  lap.  His  skill 
in  his  art  and  steady  application  won  the  good  will  of  Mr. 
Wells,  who  raised  his  wages.  He  continued  in  his  service 
till  he  left  Charleston. 

Mr.  Robert  Wells,  an  excellent  printer  and  good  man, 
was  the  publisher  of  the  South  Carolina  and  American 
General  Gazette.  He  kept  also  what  was  for  the  time  an 
extensive  bookstore,  supplying  the  wants  of  both  the  Caro- 
linas.  He  was  a  loyalist  and  supported  the  government,  but 
the  friendly  relations  between  him  and  young  Thomas  were 
never  disturbed.  The  young  man  had  an  opportunity  to  im 
prove  in  his  art  and  freedom  of  access  to  books  which  he 
had  never  before  enjoyed.  Little  is  known  of  his  sojourn 
at  Charleston.  His  promise  to  the  fair  keeper  of  the  Coffee 
House  seems  to  have  been  too  easily  forgotten.  The  present 
of  supplies  for  the  voyage  and  the  half  uttered  thanks  are 
the  last  we  hear  of  her  ;  she  passes  into  the  silence.  Some 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xli 

things  and  scenes  he  saw  at  Charleston  made  fast  hold  upon 
his  memory ;  the  arrival  and  inauguration  of  the  statue  to 
William  Pitt ;  the  burning  at  the  stake  of  two  negroes, 
man  and  woman,  for  the  crime  of  poisoning  their  master, 
with  the  multitudinous  sea  of  upturned  black  faces ;  an 
election  of  members  of  the  assembly  with  candle  light  pro 
cessions  and  temporary  hospitals  for  the  inebriated ;  the 
meeting  with  several  Bostonians  who  had  left  their  native 
town,  as  he  expresses  it  "  for  the  sin  of  being  in  debt." 

While  at  Charleston,  in  December  1769,  Mr.  Thomas 
was  married  to  Mary  Dill,  daughter  of  Joseph  Dill  of  the 
isle  of  Bermuda.  The  connection  was  not  a  happy  one,  and 
he  was  separated  from  her  a  few  years  afterward.  He  had 
a  plan  of  going  to  settle  in  the  West  Indies  ;  it  was  nearly 
perfected,  but  his  health  failing,  after  a  short  tour  among 
the  Southern  Colonies,  he  came  back  to  Boston  in  the 
spring  of  1770. 

The  condition  of  Boston  in  the  early  months  of  that 
year  is  matter  of  familiar  history.  It  was  then  a  town  of 
not  more  than  twenty  thousand  inhabitants,  intelligent, 
wealthy,  energetic,  self  reliant,  loving  the  mother  country 
when  the  mother  country  did  not  meddle  with  their  affairs. 
The  political  controversies  which  had  sprung  up  (from 
seeds  long  in  the  soil)  soon  after  the  close  of  the  seven 
years  war,  had  now  for ^  seven  years  been  enlarging  their 
scope  and  increasing  in  intensity  and  bitterness.  Discus 
sion  had  served  only  to  widen  the  differences  of  opinion 
and  policy.  The  growing  claim,  a  natural  growth,  of  the 
colonies  for  self  government,  was  met  by  a  larger  claim  for 
power  and  restraint  on  the  part  of  parliament  and  the 
crown.  Upon  this  town,  sensitive  and  jealous  of  its  rights, 
the  British  ministry  had,  in  the  autumn  of  1769,  quartered 


xlii  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

some  nine  hundred  troops.  The  contention,  hot  enough 
before,  was  brought  to  white  heat  by  the  personal  collisions 
of  the  populace  and  soldiers.  What  history  has  called, 
without  much  propriety,  the  "  Boston  Massacre,"  was  a 
probable,  natural  result  of  the  attempt  to  overawe  such  a 
people  by  military  force.  There  was  not  room  on  the 
little  peninsula,  physical  or  moral,  for  soldiers  and  people. 

Such  was  the  excited  state  of  the  capital,  and  such  indeed 
that  of  the  province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  when  Mr. 
Thomas  came  back,  to  begin  life  for  himself.  With  his 
temperament  and  convictions  he  could  not  long  keep  out 
of  the  thickest  of  the  fight ;  and  no  suggestion  of  fear,  or 
foreboding  of  loss  or  peril  to  himself,  ever  held  him  back. 

In  the  July  following,  Mr.  Thomas  formed  a  partnership 
with  Mr.  Fowle.  We  must,  I  think,  find  in  this  fact  some 
mitigation  of  the  judgment  he  has  passed  upon  his  old 
master.  The  firm  commenced  business  in  Salem  street 
by  issuing,  in  July  1770,  the  first  number  of  a  small  news 
paper  called  the  Massachusetts  Spy.  This  number  was 
distributed  gratuitously  through  the  town.  The  paper 
was  to  be  published  three  times  a  week,  twice  on  a  quarter 
sheet  and  once  on  a  half  sheet.  The  frequent  issue  of  the 
paper,  a  new  thing  in  Boston,  was  not  to  meet  the  com 
mercial  or  business  needs  of  the  town.  It  was  thought  it 
would  meet  the  wants  of  mechanics  and  other  classes  of 
people  who  had  each  day  but  little  time  to  read,  and  to 
whom  the  news  and  instruction  of  the  paper  would  be  con 
venient  in  small  doses.  The  second  number  of  the  paper 
was  published  on  the  7th  of  August  1770.  The  publica 
tion  was  continued  in  this  form  for  three  months.  The 
partnership  of  Fowle  and  Thomas  was  then  dissolved, 
Thomas  buying  of  Fowle  the  same  press  and  types  on 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xliii 

which  he  had  worked  as  a  child.  They  had  been  pur 
chased  by  Fowle  nineteen  years  before,  had  been  paid  for 
by  borrowing  the  money  of  a  relative  who  was  content  to 
let  the  principal  lie,  if  he  was  paid  punctually  the  interest. 
Thomas  became  the  owner  by  giving  to  the  creditor  new 
security  for  the  payment  of  the  loan.  He  moved  his.  office 
to  School  street,  and  changed  the  publication  of  the  Spy 
from  three  times  to  twice  a  week,  each  number  a  half  sheet. 
He  continued  the  publication  in  this  way  for  three  months 
more,  and  then  dropped  it  to  make  preparations  for  the 
weekly  publication  of  a  larger  newspaper  than  had  before 
been  printed  in  Boston.  On  the  7th  of  March  1771,  from 
his  printing  office,  now  changed  to  Union  street,  the  new 
weekly  appeared,  printed  on  a  whole  sheet  royal  size  folio 
of  four  pages  ;  but  not  Cowper's  folio  of  four  pages, "  happy 
work  which  not  even  critics  criticize."  In  the  new  form 
the  paper  had  to  start  with  less  than  two  hundred  sub 
scribers.  After  the  first  week  the  number  rapidly  increased, 
till,  at  the  end  of  two  years,  the  subscription  list  was  larger 
than  that  of  any  other  newspaper  in  Boston. 

The  new  sheet  bore  the  name  of  the  Massachusetts  Spy. 
The  title  was  between  two  cuts,  on  the  left  the  Goddess  of 
Liberty,  on  the  right  two  infants  culling  flowers  from  a 
basket.  Nothing  could  be  ruder,  less  artistic,  than  these 
prints  ;  but  that  on  the  left  had  its  meaning  for  the  time, 
soon  after  made  clearer  by  the  motto  from  Addison's  Cato. 

"  Do  thou,  great  Liberty,  inspire  our  Souls, 
"  And  make  our  lives  in  thy  possession  happy, 
"  Or  our  deaths  glorious  in  thy  just  defence." 

It  was  with  the  publication  of  this  paper  that  our  printer 
really  entered  upon  his  own  career  of  life.     It  was  in  this 


xliv  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

work  that  he  was  able  to  render  valuable  service  to  his 
country  and  to  connect  his  name  with  its  history.  "With 
it,  though  its  place  of  publication  was  changed,  he  was 
connected  for  thirty  years,  and,  after  many  trials  and  re 
verses,  it  laid  the  foundation  of  his  fortune. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  printer,  publisher,  and  editor.  A  num 
ber  of  writers  however  supplied  the  paper  with  political 
essays.  Some  of  the  earlier  essays  were  intended  to  be  espe 
cially  adapted  to  that  class  of  citizens  who  had  made  up  the 
majority  of  the  early  readers  of  the  /§#.  "  Common  sense 
in  common  language,"  said  Mr.  Thomas,  "is  necessary 
to  influence  one  class  of  citizens  as  much  as  learning  and 
elegance  of  composition  to  produce  an  effect  upon  another  : 
the  cause  of  America  was  just,  and  it  was  only  necessary 
to  state  this  cause  in  a  clear  and  impressive  manner  to 
unite  the  American  people  in  its  support."  "We  incline  to 
think  that  elegance  of  composition,  rhetoric,  and  eloquence, 
are  as  agreeable  to  one  class  of  citizens  as  to  another. 
Whether  this  be  so  or  not,  the  distinction  suggested  by 
Mr.  Thomas  was  not  kept  up.  The  Spy  circulated  through 
out  the  continent,  and  its  writers  addressed  alike  all  classes 
of  the  people.  At  the  start  the  publisher  opened  the 
columns  of  the  paper  to  Whigs  and  Royalists,  but  the  con 
troversy  had  become  too  warm  for  such  a  course ;  it 
satisfied  neither  party.  Overtures  were  made  by  friends 
of  government  to  induce  the  printer  to  enlist  the  Spy  in  its 
defence.  They  were  of  course  rejected,  and  Mr.  Thomas 
gave  the  paper  without  reserve  to  the  cause  of  the  people. 

In  an  early  number  there  is  a  pretty  explicit  statement  of 
the  relation  of  rulers  and  people.  "  Rulers  are  made  for 
the  people,  not  the  people  for  the  rulers.  The  people  are 
bound  to  obey  the  rulers-,  when  the  rulers  obey  the  laws ; 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xlv 

and  when  the  rulers  are  affectionate  fathers,  the  people 
are  bound  to  be  dutiful  children.  Rulers  were  insti 
tuted  to  be  servants  to  the  people,  and  ministers  of 
God  for  good ;  but  if  instead  of  servants  they  become 
masters,  and  instead  of  ministers  for  good  they  are 
ministers  for  evil,  they  are  no  longer  rulers  according 
to  their  institution.  Rulers  are  appointed  to  be  the  repre 
sentatives  of  God  among  men ;  and  when  they  imitate  him 
in  righteousness  the  people  are  under  the  strongest  obli 
gations  to  give  them  great  honour  and  reward.  The  people 
always  have  a  right  to  judge  of  the  conduct  of  their  rulers, 
and  reward  them  according  to  their  deeds." 

The  Spy  soon  became  a  power  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay, 
for  it  was  conducted  with  vigor,  zeal,  and  entire  devotion 
to  Whig  principles.  The  government  hoped  to  buy  the 
young  printer  ;  he  was  not  in  the  market.  It  tried  to  drive 
him  ;  he  could  not  be  driven.  It  tried  to  alarm  him  ;  he 
was  without  fear.  It  tried  to  suppress  him ;  but  he  baffled 
and  defeated  every  attempt  to  this  end  and  gained  new 
strength  and  influence  by  every  conflict. 

The  proposal  to  make  the  Spy  a  loyalist  paper  having 
failed,  the  next  step  was  to  force  compliance  or  deprive 
the  printer  of  his  press  and  types.  His  creditor  was  an 
officer  of  the  Crown,  and,  though  a  worthy  man,  was  pushed 
on  to  demand  payment  of  the  debt  contrary  to  his  verbal 
agreement.  Thomas  had  given  a  bond  payable  in  one 
year,  with  an  assurance  that  the  principal  should  not  be 
called  for  if  the  interest  was  promptly  paid.  Thomas, 
though  without  property,  had  the  confidence  and  credit 
of  his  friends ;  he  borrowed  the  money  and  paid  the  old 
debt  by  contracting  a  new  one.  The  plan  of  suppression 
failing,  the  most  paltry  attempts  were  made  to  annoy 


xlvi  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

him  and  impair  the  value  of  his  paper.  One  of  these 
was  a  refusal  to  permit  him  to  obtain  from  the  Custom 
House  an  account  of  the  arrivals  and  clearances  of  the 
port  of  Boston.  The  printer  of  the  Massachusetts  Gazette, 
and  News-Letter,  acknowledges  that  he  had  refused  Tho 
mas  a  copy  of  the  list,  under  the  influence  of  the  Custom 
House  officers.  Thomas  also  charges  Governor  Hutchin- 
son  with  attempting  to  get  work  out  of  his  hands  and  give 
it  to  a  tool  of  his  own,  and  with  saying  of  the  Spy  "  Long 
ago  would  I  have  stopped  the  press  could  I  but  have  per 
suaded  the  council  to  join  with  me."  "  A  man"  the  editor 
adds  "  whom  we  could  not  more  disgrace  than  by  saying 

he  is,  and  how  he  became  the  g r  of  this  p e." 

The  Spy  had  among  its  contributors  several  able  and 
pungent  writers  who  did  not  put  on  their  gloves  when 
they  wrote.  Among  the  early  contributions  was  a  series 
of  essays  signed  Centinel,  extending  to  over  forty  num 
bers,  the  first  with  a  motto  from  the  ballad  of  Chevy  Chase. 

"  The  child  that  is  unborn 
Will  rue  the  hunting  of  that  day." 

I  have  not  been  able  to  discover  the  writer  of  these 
essays.  John  Adams  evidently  knew  the  author,  but  he 
gives  no  clue.  The  question  puzzled  Governor  Hutchin- 
son.  They  are  written  with  much  learning  and  marked 
ability.  In  vindicating  the  liberties  of  the  people  of  the 
province  the  writer  does  not  confine  himself  to  the 
charter,  or  their  rights  as  English  subjects,  but  lays  for 
them  deeper  and  broader  foundations  in  the  natural  rights 
of  man.  The  manner  is  clear,  incisive,  bitter,  without  the 
least  recognition  of  the  doctrine  that  the  powers  that  be 
are  ordained  of  God. 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xlvii 

But  the  boldest  of  the  writers  for  the  Spy  was  Joseph 
Greenleaf,  over  the  signature  of  Mutius  Scsevola.  In  the 
Spy  of  November  14th  1771,  he  declares  that  Hutchinson 
is  not  the  legal  governor  of  the  Province,  that  he  is  an 
usurper  and  ought  to  be  dismissed  and  punished  as  such. 
We  give  one  or  two  brief  extracts.  "  An  Englishman 
should  never  part  with  a  penny  but  by  his  consent,  or  the 
consent  of  his  agent  or  representative,  especially  as  the 
money  thus  forced  from  us  is  to  hire  a  man  to  tyrannize 
over  us,  whom  his  master  calls  our  governor.  This  seems 
to  me  to  be  Mr.  Hutchinson's  situation,  therefore  I  cannot 
but  view  him  as  an  usurper,  and  absolutely  deny  his  juris 
diction  over  this  people,  and  am  of  opinion  that  any  act  of 
assembly  consented  to  by  him  in  his  capacity  as  governor 
is  ipso  facto  null  and  void  and  consequently  not  binding 
upon  us.  ****** 

"  If  the  pretended  Governor  or  Lieutenant-Governor  by 
being  independent  on  us  for  their  support  are  rendered  in 
capable  of  completing  acts  of  government,  it  is  time  we 
had  a  lawful  one  to  preside  or  that  the  pretended  go 
vernors  were  dismissed  and  punished  as  usurpers,  and  that 
the  council,  according  to  charter,  should  take  upon  them 
selves  the  government  of  the  province."  The  article 
caused  no  little  stir  and  excitement  in  the  Bay. 

The  Evening  Post  of  the  next  Monday  says,  "it  is  said 
the  piece  referred  to,  from  its  nature  and  tendency,  is  the 
most  daring  production  ever  published  in  America."  The 
Post  refers  to,  without  venturing  to  print  it. 

The  paper  was  printed  on  Thursday.  On  Friday  after 
noon  Governor  Hutchinson  convened  his  Council.  The 
Council,  after  deliberating  upon  the  matter  till  sundown, 
adjourned  to  the  next  day,  when  they  met  again,  and  after 


xlviii         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

further  discussion,  resolved  that  the  printer  should  be  sent 
for.  The  messenger  of  the  Council  appeared  in  Mr. 
Thomas's  office  and  told  him  that  his  presence  was  required 
in  the  Council  chamber.  Mr.  Thomas  replied  that  "  he 
was  busily  employed  in  his  office  and  could  not  wait  upon 
his  Excellency  and  their  Honors."  An  hour  later  the  mes 
senger  again  appeared  and  informed  him  that  the  Governor 
and  Council  awaited  his  attendance,  and  by  their  direction 
he  (the  messenger)  asked  whether  Mr.  Thomas  was  ready 
to  appear  before  them.  Thomas  answered  that  he  was 
not.  The  messenger  went  to  make  report,  and  Thomas 
went  for  legal  advice  —  the  tradition  is,  to  John  Adams. 
He  was  instructed  to  persist  in  his  refusal  to  appear  before 
the  Council,  that  they  had  no  right  to  summon  him  before 
them.  The  messenger  was  sent  a  third  time  and  brought 
this  order.  "  The  Governor  and  Council  order  your  im 
mediate  attendance  before  them  in  the  Council  chamber." 

T.  I  will  not  go. 

Mess.  You  do  not  give  this  answer  with  the  intention 
that  I  should  repeat  it  to  the  Governor  and  Council  ? 

T.  Have  you  anything  written  by  which  to  show  the  au 
thority  under  which  you  act  ? 

Mess.  I  have  delivered  to  you  the  order  of  the  Governor 
and  Council  as  it  was  given  to  me. 

T.  If  I  understand  you,  the  Governor  and  Council  order 
my  immediate  attendance  before  them  ? 

Mess.  They  do. 

T.  Have  you  the  order  in  writing  ? 

Mess.  No. 

T.  Then,  sir,  with  all  due  respect  to  the  Governor  and 
Council,  I  am  engaged  in  my  own  concerns  and  shall  not 
attend. 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  xlix 

Mess.  "Will  you  commit  your  answer  to  writing? 

T.  No,  sir. 

Mess.  You  had  better  go,  you  may  repent  your  refusal 
to  comply  with  the  order  of  the  Council  ? 

T.  I  must  abide  by  the  result.1     . 

Upon  the  return  of  the  messenger  with  this  unexpected 
and  firm  refusal,  the  Governor  and  Council  deliberated 
whether  they  should  not  commit  the  printer  for  contempt. 
Two  difficulties  were  suggested.  First,  he  had  not  ap 
peared  before  them ;  if  he  had,  his  answers  might  have  been 
construed  as  contempt  of  the  Council.  The  other  was  yet 
graver  and  went  to  the  root  of  the  matter,  that  the  Council 
could  not  compel  his  appearance  before  them  to  answer 
for  any  crime  or  misdemeanor ;  the  judicial  tribunals  alone 
having  jurisdiction  and  cognizance  of  criminal  offences. 
If  these  considerations  had  had  their  just  weight  before, 
instead  of  after,  the  refusal,  the  Governor  and  Council  would 
have  escaped  the  mortification  of  being  baffled  and  defied, 
by  a  young  mechanic  of  twenty-two,  on  a  question  of  law 
and  right.  So  a  more  careful  examination  of  the  article 
itself  would  have  disarmed  it  of  its  force.  For  the  ground 
upon  which  Governor  Hutchinson  is  denounced  as  an 
usurper  is  that  he  receives  his  salary  from  the  Crown  and 
not  from  the  Province.  The  fact  itself  was  well  known, 
and  as  to  the  conclusion  the  Governor  and  Council  might 
well  have  said  valeat  quantum,  it  is  worth  what  it  is  worth. 

In  judging  of  the  conduct  of  Thomas  we  are  not  to  for 
get,  that  he  had  often  heard  from  his  master  how  his 
brother  Daniel  Fowle,  a  few  years  before,  had  been 
imprisoned  by  the  General  Court  among  thieves  and 


1  The  conversation  is  given  from  memoranda  made  at  the  time  by  Mr. 
Thomas. 

G 


1  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

murderers,  denied  the  sight  of  his  wife,  or  the  means  of 
communicating  with  his  family,  for  an  alleged  libel  upon 
the  General  Court;  and  how  James  Franklin  had  heen 
imprisoned  and  forbidden  to  publish  his  paper  for  the  same 
reason. 

Governor  Hutchinson  was,  it  would  seem,  too  good  a 
lawyer  not  to  have  seen  that  the  Governor  and  Council  had 
no  legal  power  in  the  matter.  When,  in  1774,  notice  was 
given  him  that  the  House  of  Representatives  proposed  to 
present  to  the  Council  articles  of  impeachment  against 
Chief  Justice  Oliver,  he  replied  that  "  he  knew  of  no  crimes, 
misdemeanors,  nor  offences,  that  were  not  cognizable  before 
some  judicatory  or  other ;  and  he  knew  of  no  criminal  case 
of  which  the  Governor  and  Council,  as  a  court  of  judicature, 
could  take  cognizance." 

Defeated  in  their  attempt,  the  Governor  and  Council 
ordered  the  Attorney  General  to  prosecute  the  printer  for 
a  libel.  Great  efforts  were  made  to  accomplish  the  object. 
The  Chief  Justice  (Lieutenant  Governor  Oliver)  at  the  fol 
lowing  term  of  the  Court  in  Boston,  in  his  charge  to  the 
Grand  Jury,  dwelt  largely  on  the  doctrine  of  libels,  the  li 
centiousness  of  the  press,  and  the  necessity  of  restraining 
it.  The  Attorney  General  drew  up  an  elaborate  bill  of  in 
dictment  against  Isaiah  Thomas  for  a  libel,  but  the  Grand 
Jury  refused  to  find  it;  they  said  "  ignoramus."  Foiled  in 
this  second  method,  the  Attorney  General  was  directed  to 
file  an  information  against  Thomas.  The  fact  became 
known,  and  the  legality  of  the  course  was  so  bitterly  at 
tacked,  and  with  such  force  of  argument  and  authority,  that 
it  was  thought  best  to  drop  the  matter.  The  effort  to 
prosecute  in  Suffolk  failing,  one  other  expedient  was  sug 
gested.  The  Spy  was  circulated  throughout  the  province. 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  li 

Wherever  the  paper  circulated  the  libel  was  published, 
and  in  the  view  of  the  law  it  was  as  truly  published  in 
Essex  as  in  Suffolk.  Let  the  printer  be  indicted  in  Essex, 
where  the  people  are  as  yet  more  faithful  and  loyal  to  his 
Majesty,  and  his  Majesty's  faithful  servants,  the  Governor 
and  Council  of  the  Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay.  Mr. 
Thomas  states  that  the  fallacy  of  this  argument  was  made 
apparent.  The  legal  view  was  perhaps  sound  enough,  but 
the  prosecution  was  not  instituted.  The  Governor  and 
Council  had  learned  prudence,  or  had  become  satisfied  that 
Essex  also  was  growing  seditious. 

While  these  measures  were  being  taken  against  the 
printer,  the  Governor  and  Council  proceeded  with  more 
rapid  steps  against  the  writer  of  the  article,  Mr.  Greenleaf. 
A  written  order  was  served  upon  him  to  appear  on  the 
10th  of  December  before  the  Governor  and  Council  to  be 
examined  touching  a  certain  paper,  called  the  Massachusetts 
Spy,  published  the  14th  of  November  1771.  Greenleaf 
paid  no  heed  to  the  summons,  and  on  the  12th  of  December 
an  order  appeared  in  the  Boston  Newsletter,  the  Court  Ga 
zette,  dismissing  him  from  his  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  the  county  of  Plymouth.  The  order  was  as  follows  : 

"  At  a  Council  held  at  the  Council  Chamber  in  Boston, 
Tuesday  Dec.  10th,  1771. 

His  Excellency  having  acquainted  the  Board,  at  their  last 
meeting,  that  Joseph  Greenleaf  Esq.  a  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  the  county  of  Plymouth,  was  generally  reputed  to  be 
connected  with  Isaiah  Thomas  in  printing  and  publishing 
a  newspaper  called  the  Massachusetts  Spy,  and  the  said 
Joseph  Greenleaf  having  thereupon  been  summoned  to  at 
tend  the  Board  on  this  day,  in  order  to  his  examination 
touching  the  same,  and  not  attending  according  to  sum- 


lii  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

mons,  it  was  thereupon  unanimously  advised,  that  the  said 
Joseph  Greenleaf  he  dismissed  from  the  office  of  a  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  which  advice  was  approved  of  and  consented 
to  hy  his  Excellency ;  and  the  said  Joseph  Greenleaf  is  dis 
missed  from  the  said  office  accordingly. 

A  true  copy  from  the  minutes  of  the  Council. 

Thomas  Flucker,  Secretary." 

These  attempts  to  restrain  the  Spy  were  not  merely  abor 
tive,  they  kindled  the  editor  to  greater  zeal  for  the  country's 
cause^  and  to  intenser  hatred  of  its  oppressors. 

B  at  bitter  as  was  the  tone  of  the  Spy,  it  is  a  striking  fact 
that  the  tone  of  English  papers  and  of  prominent  English 
statesmen  upon  the  course  of  the  Ministry  toward  the  co 
lonies  was  as  severe  and  relentless  as  that  of  the  Colonial 
press  and  statesmen.  In  the  Spy  of  September  10th,  1772, 
appeared  an  address  to  the  King,  signed  Akolax.  Upon 
its  appearance  the  Governor  and  Council  ordered  the 
Attorney  General  to  prosecute  the  printer  in  what  manner  he 
thought  best.  The  notice  Thomas  took  of  this  was  to  repub- 
lish  in  the  Spy  of  Oct.  10th,  1772,  an  address  to  the  King 
copied  from  the  (English)  Middlesex  Journal.  He  calls  at 
tention  to  the  fact  that  the  latter  address,  far  more  disloyal 
in  its  tone  and  spirit,  had  passed  unnoticed  not  only  in 
England  but  on  its  republication  in  a  neighboring  province. 
He  thereupon  charges  that  the  purpose  and  order  of  the 
Governor  and  Council  to  prosecute  him  were  malicious, 
closing  a  bitter  article  with  the  words  "  we  may  next  have 
padlocks  on  our  lips  and  fetters  on  our  legs,  or  FIGHT  OUR 
WAY  TO  CONSTITUTIONAL  FREEDOM."  The  original  letter,  and 
the  republication  from  the  Middlesex  Journal,  were  alike  of 
fensive  to  the  officers  of  the  Crown.  Mr.  Thomas  was  in- 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  liii 

formed  by  friends  on  whom  he  relied,  that  Governor 
Hutchinson  had  remarked  that  to  secure  a  verdict  against 
him  stronger  ground  would  be  taken  than  in  the  case  of 
Mutius  Sceevola.  What  this  stronger  ground  was,  must 
be  left  to  conjecture.  It  would  seem  as  if  no  weapon  had 
been  left  unused.  The  difficulty  was  insuperable.  He 
could  not  find  a  grand  jury  to  indict  or  a  petit  jury  to 
convict. 

For  some  two  years  before  these  events  men  had  seen 
the  noble  mind  of  James  Otis  o'erthrown,  and 

"  That  noble  and  most  sovereign  reason 
Like  sweet  bells  jangled,  out  of  tune  and  harsh." 

It  was  before  the  republication  of  the  most  obnoxious 
of  the  addresses  to  the  King  that  Mr.  Otis  called  upon 
Mr.  Thomas  and  desired  to  have  a  private  conference 
with  him,  in  what  he  called  his  sanctum  sanctorum,,  a 
private  room  up  two  nights  of  stairs,  and  adjoining  the 
printing  office,  which  the  tories  called  the  "  sedition 
foundry."  Being  seated,  Mr.  Otis  called  for  two  sheets 
of  paper.  He  doubled  each  sheet,  and  after  putting  them 
together  indented  them  at  the  top.  On  one  of  the  sheets 
he  wrote  his  own  signature,  and  requested  Mr.  Thomas  to 
sign  the  second.  He  folded  the  latter  carefully,  put  it  in 
his  pocket,  leaving  the  other  with  Mr.  Thomas,  and,  as 
suring  him  he  should  hear  from  him,  went  out. 

After  the  publication  of  the  letters  to  the  King  and  the 
report  that  Thomas  was  to  be  prosecuted  Mr.  Otis  came 
again,  apparently  composed  and  in  the  possession  of  his 
reason.  He  said  to  Mr.  Thomas  that  he  had  heard  of  the 
publication  of  the  address  and  of  the  impending  prosecu 
tion.  The  address  he  had  not  read.  Mr.  Thomas  gave  it 


liv  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

to  him,  and  sitting  down  he  read  it  very  attentively.  After 
reading  it  once  he  went  over  it  again  paragraph  by  para 
graph,  repeating  at  the  end  of  each  there  is  no  treason  in 
that.  When  he  came  to  a  particular  passage,  he  paused, 
read  it  again  and  again,  and  after  pondering  upon  it  some 
time  exclaimed,  "  Touch  and  go,  by  G — d."  Having 
read  the  address  entirely  through  again,  he  assured  Mr. 
Thomas  that  the  whole  of  it  was  defensible,  and  in  case 
the  prosecution  should  take  place,  he  would  come  forward 
in  his  defence  without  fee  or  reward,  or  would  point  out  to 
his  counsel  the  ground  of  defence,  which,  in  his  opinion, 
ought  to  be  assumed.  On  taking  leave  he  said  "  James 
Otis  still  retains  some  knowledge  of  law."  This  is  what 
Hutchinson  would  have  called  "  one  of  the  flashes  of  our 
firebrand." 

The  character  of  the  Spy,  its  bold,  defiant  tone,  and  the 
attempts  at  prosecution  successfully  baffled,  drew  attention 
to  the  young  printer  in  all  parts  of  the  continent.  In 
]^s~orth  Carolina,  the  loyalists  caused  the  Spy  to  be  burned 
by  the  common  hangman,  and  the  printer  to  be  burned  in 
effigy.  On  the  other  hand  applications  were  made  to  Mr. 
Thomas  from  the  Whigs  in  different  parts  of  the  continent 
to  set  up  presses,  one  even  coming  from  Quebec.  The 
hostility  of  the  loyalists  of  the  Province  was  bitter  in  the 
extreme.  After  the  passage  of  the  Boston  Port  Bill  and 
the  arrival  of  additional  troops  he  was  frequently  threatened 
with  violence.  A  British  officer,  whom  he  had  befriended, 
informed  him  that  his  assassination  even  had  been  proposed. 
The  following  incident  illustrates  very  well  the  state  of 
feeling  among  the  soldiers.  A  countryman,  Thomas  Dit- 
son  Jr.  of  Billerica,  was  charged  with  attempting  to  pur 
chase  of  a  soldier  his  musket,  and  thus  enticing  him  to 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Iv 

steal  and  sell  the  property  of  the  King.  Ditson  declared 
that  ^..a  plan  had  been  laid  to  entrap  him  and  that  he  was 
innocent  of  any  bad  intention.  Col.  E~esbitt  of  the  47th 
Regiment  gave  Ditson  a  mock-trial,  then  stripped  him  of 
his  clothes  and,  coating  him  from  head  to  foot  with  tar  and 
feathers,  carted  him  through  the  streets.  The  soldiers,  with 
the  Colonel  at  their  head,  halted  before  the  office  of  the 
Spy ;  the  music  playing  the  rogues  march,  and  some  of  the 
soldiers  crying  out,  the  printer  of  the  Spy  shall  be  the 
next  to  receive  this  punishment.  Other  illustrations  of 
the  state  of  feeling  towards  the  printer  of  the  Spy  abound. 

In  the  Boston  Evening  Post  of  September  19th,  1774,  is 
printed  a  circular  letter,  which  was  scattered  among  the 
forces,  addressed  "  to  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  His  Ma 
jesty's  troops  in  Boston."  After  giving  a  list  of  the  authors 
of  the  rebellion,  Samuel  Adams,  Bowdoin,  Hancock,  and 
others,  it  says  "  The  friends  of  your  King  and  Country  and 
of  America  hope  and  expect  from  you  soldiers,  the  instant 
rebellion  happens,  that  you  will  put  the  above  persons  to 
the  sword,  destroy  their  houses  and  plunder  their  effects. 
]ST.  B.  Don't  forget  those  trumpeters  of  sedition,  the  prin 
ters  Edes  and  Gill,  and  Thomas." 

It  would  not  be  easy  to  over  estimate  the  services  Mr. 
Thomas  rendered  the  country  as  the  editor  and  printer  of 
the  Spy.  He  gave  the  paper  and  he  gave  himself  without 
reserve  to  the  cause  of  freedom.  He  well  understood 
that  if  the  cause  failed  he  would  be  one  of  the  earliest 
victims.  He  led  no  man  to  risk  and  peril  he  did  not  incur 
himself.  Eeading  the  Spy  now  in  the  quiet  of  the  library, 
and  in  the  quiet  of  peace,  one  would  find  much  in  matter 
and  manner  to  criticize.  But  revolutions  are  not  fed  and 
nurtured  upon  milk  and  water,  or  even  the  clear  milk  of 


Ivi  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

human  kindness.     Contests  are  bitter  when  men  are  strug 
gling  for  life  or  all  that  makes  life  worth  the  living. 

Rev.  Dr.  John  Eliot  in  an  article  in  the  collections  of 
the  Historical  Society  of  1799  (vol.  6),  avers  that  a  more 
violent  class  of  politicians  filled  the  Spy  with  their  specula 
tions  than  the  Whigs  who  wrote  in  the  Boston  Gazette. 
Referring  especially  to  the  articles  signed  Centinel,  which 
we  have  already  noticed,  he  says  any  one  who  reads  them 
will  now  see  that  the  same  spirit  and  principles  lead  to  a 
dissolution  of  all  Society,  and  are,  like  more  modern  pub 
lications  on  equality  and  the  rights  of  man,  direct  attacks  on 
all  authority  and  law.  We  have  read  them  without  reach 
ing  this  conclusion.  Allowance  must  be  made  for  the 
difference  of  things  in  1771,  and  1799.  It  is  doubtless 
true,  speaking  in  general  terms,  that  the  writers  of  the  Spy, 
as  compared  with  those  of  the  Gazette,  assumed  more  radi 
cal  ground  and  claimed,  at  an  earlier  date,  for  the  colonists 
not  only  the  rights  of  Englishmen  but  the  rights  of  man. 
Perhaps  the  position  of  our  printer  cannot  be  better  in 
dicated  than  in  the  superscription  of  a  letter  now  before 
me,  addressed,  April  4th  1775,  by  John  Hancock  from  the 
Provincial  Congress  then  sitting  at  Concord ;  "  To  Mr. 
Isaiah  Thomas,  Supporter  of  the  Rights  and  Liberties  of 
Mankind." 

The  Spy  early  took  the  ground  which  the  controversy 
ultimately  assumed,  and  which  gives  to  it  its  highest  dignity 
and  its  most  profound  interest  in  the  history  of  human 
progress.  When  the  Spy  entered  upon  the  controversy,  the 
gulf,  at  first  narrow  between  the  parties,  had  been  widened 
and  deepened.  Substantially  the  question  had  become 
this,  the  unlimited  power  of  Parliament  on  the  one  hand 
and  the  rights  of  self  government  on  the  other.  The  dis- 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ivii 

tinction  between  internal  taxes  and  external  had  lost  its 
hold  upon  the  popular  mind.  While  the  power  of  regu 
lating  commerce  was  in  abeyance,  or  the  laws  to  enforce  it 
so  readily  and  so  commonly  evaded,  the  Colonies  were 
content.  The  moment  they  should  have  been  brought  into 
full  activity  submission  would  have  been  at  an  end.  Indeed 
it  was  through  the  partial  exercise  of  this  power  to  regulate 
trade  that  the  Colonies  had  suffered  their  heaviest  practical 
grievances. 

All  revolutions  outgrow  and  leave  behind  them  the 
issues  on  which  they  are  started.  "When  the  power  of 
Parliament  to  regulate  the  trade  of  the  Empire  began  to 
be  fully  understood,  when  the  colonial  statesmen  saw  what 
had  been  already  the  restrictions  its  exercise  had  imposed 
upon  the  commerce  and  manufactures  of  the  Colonies  and 
their  growth  and  expansion,  when  they  understood  clearly 
that  in  the  future  the  interests  of  the  Colonies  were  to  be 
subordinated  to  tho.se  of  the  mother-country,  and  her  wealth 
and  prosperity  to  be  secured  at  the  cost  of  their  own,  they 
began  to  see  that  it  was  this  very  power  they  had  most 
reason  to  dread  and  to  contest. 

The  course  pursued  by  Parliament  and  the  Crown  had 
brought  the  Colonies  into  concert  and  union  of  action  and 
to  a  sense  of  their  power  and  strength,  and  when  that 
began  to  be  felt,  the  question  of  separation  was  one  of  time 
only.  The  Colonies  found,  as  Montesquieu  expresses  it,  that 
"  they  had  grown  to  be  great  nations  in  the  forests  they 
were  sent  to  inhabit." 

Governor  Pownal  had  said  truly,  that  "  it  was  essential 
to  the  preservation  of  the  empire  to  keep  the  Colonies  dis 
connected  and  independent  of  each  other,  that  they  must 
cohere  in  one  centre  (the  mother  country),  and  that  they 


Iviii  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

must  be  guarded  against  having  or  forming  any  principle 
of  coherence  with  each  other  above  that  whereby  they  co 
here  in  this  centre."  Coherence  and  Union  of  their  own 
motion  he  deemed  utterly  improbable,  and  so  great  in  fact 
were  the  differences  of  the  colonies  in  their  settlements, 
in  their  charters  a*nd  frames  of  government,  in  their  man 
ners,  religion,  culture,  trade  and  domestic  policy,  that 
Franklin,  who  best  understood  the  subject,  said,  that  no 
thing  but  the  oppression  of  the  mother  country  would  ever 
unite  them.  In  seeking  for  a  policy  and  institutions  fitted 
to  their  then  condition  they  were  led  to  look  beyond 
their  rights  as  colonists  to  their  rights  as  men. 

But  to  return  to  the  Spy.  If  it  be  true,  as  I  think  can 
not  fairly  be  denied,  that  its  doctrines  struck  at  the  roots 
of  the  power  of  Crown  and  Parliament,  insisting  that  the 
time  of  swaddling  clothes  had  long  since  past,  it  was  only  a 
little  early,  possibly  a  little  premature,  in  assuming  the 
position  to  which  the  colonies  were  finally  brought.  That 
in  times  of  revolution  extravagant  doctrines  should  be  ad 
vanced  by  some  of  the  writers  in  its  columns,  history  would 
lead  us  to  expect.  It  must  be  admitted  also  that  the  tone 
of  the  Spy  was  bitter,  sarcastic,  sometimes  fierce,  defiant 
and  exasperating  to  the  last  degree ;  but  in  this  regard  it 
but  showed  "  the  age  and  body  of  the  time,  its  form  and 
pressure."  One  has  but  to  glance  at  the  newspapers  to  see 
how  the  questions  at  issue  engrossed  the  public  attention, 
how  little  space  is  given  to,  how  little  apparent  interest  is 
taken  in,  the  news  of  the  day,  and  how  the  columns  are 
crowded  with  elaborate  essays  upon  questions  of  abstract 
right  and  law.  Never  was  a  people  better  instructed  in 
matters  of  right  and  duty.  The  questions  of  natural  right 
were  more  easily  understood,  and  touched  and  moved  more 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  lix 

deeply  the  mind  and  heart  of  the  people.  In  this  regard 
the  Spy  had  signal  advantage. 

In  doing  justice  to  the  Spy  we  would  do  no  injustice  to  the 
Boston  Gazette,  with  which  Mr.  Eliot  compares  it.  The 
articles  in  the  Gazette,  perhaps,  as  a  general  rule  indicated 
more  literary  culture  in  the  writers ;  their  historical  and 
legal  arguments  were  more  elaborate  and  finished.  It 
would  be  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  the  articles  in  the  Ga 
zette  were  less  personal,  bitter  and  inflammatory,  than  those 
of  the  Spy.  There  was  for  example  a  series  of  papers  in 
the  Gazette,  beginning  December  20th  1772,  entitled 
Needham's  Remembrancer  written  by  Josiah  Quincy  Jr., 
the  noblest  Roman  of  them  all.  Nothing  in  the  co 
lumns  of  the  Spy  is  more  bitter,  not  to  say  ferocious,  than 
some  of  these  articles.  As  the  discussion  and  controversy 
went  on  the  writers  for  the  Gazette,  as  well  as  those  of  the 
Spy,  are  from  to-day  expanding  the  claims  of  the  colonies 
for  self  government,  and  narrowing  and  restricting  the 
powers  of  Parliament  and  Crown  —  rising  rapidly  to  the 
plane  on  which  the  controversy  was  finally  placed.  It  was 
self-government  to  which  our  fathers  were  tending,  it  may 
be  at  the  first  unconsciously,  but  nevertheless  tending. 
History,  from  1763,  is  a  prophesy  of  the  result.  It  was  be 
coming  necessary  for  one  people  to  dissolve  the  political 
bands  which  connected  them  with  another,  and  to  assume 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth  the  separate  and  equal 
station  to  which  the  laws  of  nature  and  of  nature's  God 
entitled  them. 

Mr.  Thomas  would  have  been  the  last  person  to  ques 
tion  the  merits  of  the  Boston  Gazette.  He  was  a  rival,  but 
a  generous  one.  "  During  the  long  controversy"  he  re 
marks  "  between  Great  Britain  and  her  colonies  no  paper 


Ix  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

on  the  continent  took  a  more  active  part  in  defence  of  the 
country  or  more  ably  supported  its  rights  than  the  Boston 
Gazette." 

We  can  hardly  help  glancing  at  the  future  fortune  of 
the  Gazette  and  its  principal  proprietor,  Benjamin  Edes. 
After  the  Revolution  it  lost  its  great  contributors  and  its 
tone  and  policy  were  changed.  It  bitterly  opposed  the 
adoption  of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  and  the 
administration  of  Washington.  The  paper  declined  in 
power,  interest  and  popular  favor,  till,  after  a  long  struggle, 
in  1798,  it  was  discontinued  for  want  of  support.  One  can 
not  but  be  touched  by  the  old  man's  farewell  address. 
"The  Editor  of  the  Boston  Gazette,  after  repeated  attempts 
to  prosecute  his  professional  occupation  in  the  declining 
period  of  his  life,  is  at  length  obliged  to  relinquish  his  ex 
ertions  and  to  retire  to  those  melancholy  paths  of  domestic 
embarrassments  to  which  misfortune  has  consigned  him. 
While  thus  passing  the  gloomy  valley  of  old  age  and  in 
firmity,  his  consolation  still  rests  on  that  staff  which  can 
support  a  mind  conscious  of  its  own  rectitude  ;  and  though 
he  often  feels  the  thorns  and  briers  on  the  road,  goading 
him  in  his  passage,  yet  he  patiently  suffers  under  these  af 
flictions,  hoping  that  ere  long  he  shall  arrive  at  that 
peaceful  abode  <  where  the  weary  are  at  rest.'  The  cause 
of  Liberty  is  not  always  the  channel  of  preferment  or 
pecuniary  reward.  The  little  property  which  he  acquired 
has  long  since  fell  a  sacrifice ;  the  paper-evidences  of  his 
services  were  soon  consumed  by  their  rapid  depreciation, 
and  the  cares  of  a  numerous  family  were  too  powerful  to 
be  resisted,  though  he  fed  them  with  property  at  four  shil 
lings  and  sixpence  in  the  pound,  which  he  faithfully  and 
industriously  earned  at  twenty  shillings." 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixi 

Mr.  Buckingham,  in  his  very  interesting  reminiscences 
of  printers  and  editors,  thus  speaks  of  the  unfortunate  old 
man.  "  In  1801,  I  had  occasion  to  call  on  him  at  his 
prin ting  room  and  found  him  at  work  on  a  small  job  at  the 
case,  while  an  elderly  female  (probably  one  of  his  daughters) 
was  at  the  press  striking  off  shop  bills.  The  venerable 
form  of  the  old  man  setting  types  "  with  spectacles  on 
nose,"  and  the  singular  sight  of  a  woman,  beating  and  pull 
ing  at  the  press,  together  with  the  aspect  of  destitution 
that  pervaded  the  whole  apartment,  presented  a  scene  well 
adapted  to  excite  sympathy,  and  to  make  an  impression  on 
the  mind,  which  the  vicissitudes  of  fifty  years  have  not  ef 
faced.  At  length  the  infirmities  of  age  overcame  his 
physical  powers  and  the  curse  of  poverty  lay  heavily  on 
his  spirit.  Oppressed  with  years  and  sickness,  neglected 
and  forgotten  by  those  who  enjoyed  the  blessings  he  had 
helped  to  secure,  he  died  in  December  1803  at  the  age  of 
eighty  years." 

July  1st  1773,  nearly  two  years  before  he  left  Boston, 
Mr.  Thomas  sent  out  the  prospectus  of  the  Royal  American 
Magazine,  to  be  issued  monthly.  The  vessel  containing  the 
types  for  it  was  cast  ashore  on  Cape  Cod,  and  the  first 
number  (for  January  1774)  was  not  in  fact  issued  till 
Febry.  6th  1774.  After  six  months,  "  on  account  of  the  dis 
tresses  of  the  town  of  Boston,"  Mr.  Thomas  suspended  the 
publication.  It  was  however  purchased  by  Joseph  Green- 
leaf,  the  Screvola  of  the  Spy,  and  continued  till  March 
1775.  A  singular  feature  of  the  magazine,  considering 
the  relation  of  both  Thomas  and  Greenleaf  to  Governor 
Hutchinson,  is  thus  stated  by  the  editor.  "  To  complete 
this  plan  will  be  added  (to  begin  at  the  end  of  the  first 
number  and  to  continue  until  the  whole  is  finished,  printed 


Ixii  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

in  an  elegant  manner,  on  fine  paper,  and  occasionally  or 
namented  with  copper  plate  prints,  exclusive  of  those  par 
ticularly  for  the  magazine)  Governor  Hutchinson's  History 
of  the  Massachusetts  Bay ;  which  when  finished  will  be 
worth  the  cost  of  the  magazine." 

The  magazine  is  illustrated  by  nineteen  engravings,  the 
most  of  which  are  by  Paul  Revere.  The  first  number  has 
the  well  known  view  of  the  town  of  Boston,  with  the 
several  ships  of  war  in  the  harbor. 

The  last  year  Mr.  Thomas  was  in  Boston,  he  began  the 
publication  of  an  Almanac.  The  first  number  is  styled 
"  Thomas'  New  England  Almanac,  or  the  Massachusetts  Cal 
endar  for  the  year  of  our  Lord  Christ  1775."  Its  imprint  is 
"  Massachusetts  Bay,  Boston.  Printed  and  sold  by  Isaiah 
Thomas  at  the  printing  office,  the  south  corner  of  Marshall's 
Lane  near  the  mill  bridge."  The  Almanac  was  published 
by  Mr.  Thomas  from  1775  to  1803,  and  from  1803  to  1819 
inclusive,  by  his  son  Isaiah  Thomas  Jr.  There  is  nothing 
in  these  Almanacs  calling  for  especial  notice.  They  aided 
in  making  the  publisher  well  known,  and  some  fortunate 
prophecies  or  guesses  as  to  the  weather  gained  for  it  some 
thing  of  the  reputation  of  "  old  Probabilities."  They  con 
tained  a  good  deal  of  useful  matter  which  found  its  way  to 
places  where  books  were  little  read.  In  a  number  before 
me,  that  for  1790,  are  published  the  tariff  of  1789,  the  pro 
posed  Amendments  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  the  Federal  Register,  headed  by  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  "  His  Highness  George  Washington 
Esquire,"  and  the  Judiciary  Act  of  1789.  In  that  of  1791 
is  the  whole  of  Franklin's  Way  to  Wealth. 

To  resume  our  story.  It  was  not  alone  as  editor  and 
printer  of  an  influential  journal  that  Mr.  Thomas  was  able 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixiii 

or  ready  to  serve  his  country.  He  was  personally  one  of 
the  most  active  of  Sons  of  Liberty.  "Wherever  work 
difficult  and  hazardous  was  to  be  done,  he  was  to  be  found. 
The  meetings  of  the  patriots  are  frequently  held  at  his 
office.  After  the  workmen  have  retired,  the  master  re 
mains  to  print  hand-bills  that  are  posted  throughout  the 
town  before  morning,  to  startle  the  timid  and  rouse  the 
lethargic.  For  the  five  years  following  his  return  to  Bos 
ton  his  life  was  a  daily  warfare.  The  tone  of  his  paper,  its 
sharp  criticisms  not  only  upon  the  provincial  civil  officers 
but  upon  the  conduct  and  bearing  of  the  military,  excited 
against  him  hostility  personal  as  well  as  political.  Threats, 
as  before  stated,  of  violence,  of  assassination  even,  are  fre 
quently  made ;  whether  to  alarm  only  cannot  now  be  de 
termined.  His  friends  did  not  so  regard  them.  They  knew 
he  was  on  the  list  of  the  proscribed,  and  believed  he  would  be 
among  the  earliest  victims.  He  sent  his  family  to  Water- 
town  to  be  safe  from  the  perils  to  which  he  was  daily  ex 
posed.  For  a  few  days  before  the  battle  of  Lexington  his 
friends  insisted  upon  his  keeping  himself  secluded.  He 
went  to  Concord  to  consult  with  Mr.  Hancock  and  other 
leading  members  of  the  Provincial  Congress.  He  opened 
to  them  his  situation,  which  indeed  the  Boston  members 
well  understood.  Mr.  Hancock  and  his  other  friends  ad 
vised  and  urged  him  to  remove  from  Boston  immediately  ; 
in  a  few  days,  they  said,  it  would  be  too  late.  They 
seemed  to  understand  well  what  a  few  days  would  bring 
forth.  He  came  back  to  Boston,  packed  up  his  presses 
and  types,  and  on  the  16th  of  April,  to  use  his  own  phrase, 
"  stole  them  out  of  town  in  the  dead  of  night."  Thomas 
was  aided  in  their  removal  by  General  Warren  and  Colonel 
Bigelow.  They  were  carried  across  the  ferry  to  Charles- 


Ixiv  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

town  and  thence  put  on  their  way  to  Worcester.  Two 
nights  after,  the  royal  troops  were  on  their  way  to  Lexing 
ton,  and  the  next  evening  after,  Boston  was  entirely  shut 
up.  Mr.  Thomas  did  not  go  with  his  presses  and  types  to 
Worcester.  Having  seen  them  on  their  way  he  returned 
to  the  city.  The  conversation  at  Concord,  as  well  as  his 
own  observation,  had  satisfied  him  that  important  events 
were  at  hand. 

He  went  out  on  the  night  of  the  18th  of  April,  to  assist 
in  giving  notice  that  the  troops  were  crossing  the  Charles 
river.  He  returned,  but  was  out  again  by  daylight. 
Crossing  the  ferry  with  Dr.  Warren  he  went  into  a  public 
meeting  at  Charlestown  and  urged  the  arming  of  the  people, 
and  was  opposed  by  one  Mr.  Russell  "  on  principles  of  pru 
dence."  As  one  of  the  minute  men,  he  engages  in  the 
fiffht  which  was  the  be<nnnin°;  of  the  end.  At  night  he 

o  o  o  o 

goes  to  Medford.  On  the  morning  of  the  20th,  he  makes  a 
Hying  visit  to  his  family  at  Watertown,  and  then  starts  on 
foot  for  Worcester.  He  is  constantly  met  on  his  journey 
by  bodies  of  armed  men  on  their  way  to  Cambridge, 
anxious  to  learn  even  the  minutest  details  of  yesterday's 
fight.  After  traveling  on  foot  some  miles,  he  meets  with 
a  friend  who  procures  him  the  loan  of  a  horse.  Late  at 
night,  weary  and  travel  worn,  he  arrives  at  Worcester  to 
begin  life  anew ;  a  good  head  and  stout  heart  his  only 
capital.  Worcester  was  one  of  the  places  where  Mr. 
Thomas  had  been  invited  to  set  up  a  press.  The  necessity 
for  a  Whig  paper  in  this  stronghold  of  the  loyalists  had 
been  felt  by  Colonel  Bigelow,  the  patriot  blacksmith  sol 
dier  and  statesman,  and  the  other  leading  Whigs  of  the 
town  and  county.  Mr.  Thomas  made  an  agreement  to  do 
so  early  in  1775,  but  without  any  purpose  of  giving  up  the 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixv 

press  at  Boston.  The  presses  and  types  sent  before  him 
were  all  that  were  left  as  the  fruit  of  five  years'  toil  and 
peril.  A  sum  exceeding  three  thousand  dollars  (and  a  dol 
lar  meant  something  then,  though  soon  to  lose  its  meaning) 
was  due  him  from  subscribers,  scattered  over  the  continent. 
In  times  of  peace  most  of  this  would  have  been  collected. 
It  was  now  worthless.  Paper  it  was  hard  to  get  at  any 
price,  and  the  printer's  means  of  purchase,  present  and 
prospective,  were  cut  off.  The  list  of  Worcester  subscrib 
ers  was  less  than  two  hundred,  town  and  county. 

Things  were  at  a  stand  still.  On  the  24th  of  April,  1775, 
Samuel  Adams  and  John  Hancock  were  at  Worcester,  on 
their  way  to  the  Continental  Congress  at  Philadelphia. 
They  were  there,  some  days,  waiting  the  arrival  of  their 
colleagues  and  a  military  escort,  We  have  no  report  of  the 
interview  between  the  patriot  printer  and  the  patriot  states 
men.  But  on  the  journal  of  the  Committee  of  Safety  of 
the  Province  is  this  entry,  April  29th,  1775.  "  Letters  from 
Colonel  Hancock  now  at  Worcester  were  read,  whereupon 
voted  that  four  reams  of  paper  be  immediately  ordered  to 
Worcester  for  the  use  of  Mr.  Thomas,  printer;  he  to  be  ac 
countable."  Though  the  letter  requesting  that  paper  be 
sent  to  Mr.  Thomas  has  been  lost,  a  very  interesting  one 
written  from  Worcester  by  Mr.  Hancock,  on  the  evening 
of  his  arrival,  has  been  preserved.  It  is  addressed  to  the 
Committee  of  Safety.  I  have  space  for  a  brief  extract  only. 
"Boston  must  be  entered,  the  troops  must  be  sent  away 
or  (blank).  Our  friends  are  valuable  but  our  country 
must  be  saved.  I  have  an  interest  in  that  town ;  what  can 
be  the  enjoyment  of  that  to  me  if  I  am  obliged  to  hold  it 
at  the  will  of  General  Gage,  or  any  one  else.  I  doubt  not 

your  vigilance,  your  fortitude  and  resolution."     One  can- 

i 


Ixvi  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

not  but  conjecture  that  the  young  printer  may  have  seen 
and  read,  with  delight,  that  letter  before  it  was  put  on  its 
way  to  Water  town. 

On  the  third  of  May  the  Spy  reappears  at  Worcester. 
In  his  address  to  his  readers  the  editor  says :  "  I  beg  the 
assistance  of  all  the  friends  of  our  righteous  cause  to  cir 
culate  this  paper.  They  may  rely  that  the  utmost  of 
my  poor  endeavors  shall  be  used  to  maintain  those  rights 
and  privileges  for  which  ice  and  our  fathers  have  bled ;" 
words  that  on  the  30th  of  May,  1775,  were  something  more 
than  rhetoric.  The  place  of  publication  was  not  however 
definitely  settled.  Mr.  Thomas  was  directed  by  the  Com 
mittee  of  Safety  to  bring  his  press  to  Concord.  He  goes 
there  to  find  that  the  Provincial  Congress  had  adjourned 
to  Watertown.  He  goes  to  Watertown,  and  is  advised  by 
leading1  members  of  the  Congress  that  it  will  be  best  to 

O  O 

remain  at  Worcester  for  the  present,  to  do  the  printing  for 
Congress,  the  army  and  Committee  of  Safety,  at  that  place 
establishing  a  post,  what  we  should  call  an  express,  between 
Worcester  and  Watertown  and  Cambridge,  to  transmit 
orders  and  return  the  work  when  done.  Following  this 
course,  on  the  8th  "of  May  the  Provincial  Congress 
appoints  a  committee  to  transcribe  the  narrative  of  the 
proceedings  of  the  King's  troops  on  the  19th  ult.,  together 
with  depositions  thereof  accompanying,  to  be  transmitted 
to  Mr.  Thomas  for  immediate  publication." 

On  the  12th  of  May  the  Committee  of  Safety  "voted, 
that  Mr.  Isaiah  Thomas  have  sixty  reams  of  printing  crown 
paper  and  eight  reams  of  printing  demy  paper  supplied  to 
him  by  the  committee  of  supplies ;  they  taking  his  obli 
gation  to  be  accountable  to  the  Colony  for  the  amount 
thereof." 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixvii 

Mr.  Thomas  did  account  for  the  paper  sent  him  to  the  last 
penny.  Though  the  Congress  and  the  Committee  of  Safety 
assumed  to  direct  his  movements,  I  cannot  find  that  he  ever 
received  any  favor  from  them,  or  sought  any.  They  sup 
plied  him  twice  with  paper,  and  he  paid  for  it  by  his  work. 
In  his  day  of  extremest  want  he  would  not  feed  from  the 
public  crib.  In  the  summer,  Samuel  and  Eberiezer  Hall 
moved  from  Salem  and  set  up  a  press  in  Stoughton  Hall, 
Cambridge.  Mr.  Edes  also  escaped  from  Boston  and  set 
up  a  press  at  Watertown.  After  their  removal,  the  print 
ing  of  the  Congress  and  the  Committee  of  Safety  passed 
into  their  hands.  There  was  no  further  occasion  for  the 
risk  and  expense  of  sending  their  work  to  Worcester. 

With  some  view  and  for  some  purpose,  which  I  have  not 
been  able  to  discover,  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  Mr.  Thomas 
started  on  foot  for  a  journey  to  NQW  York.  So  well  was 
the  printer  of  the  Spy  known,  so  familiar  was  his  story, 
that  innkeepers  on  the  way  would  receive  no  pay  for  meals 
and  lodging,  nor  boatmen  for  carrying  him  across  the 
ferries.  From  New  York  he  went  to  Philadelphia  to  see 
the  members  of  the  Continental  Congress.  Some  of  its 
leaders  were  personally  known  to  him.  He  returned  to 
his  labors  deeply  impressed  by  their  wisdom  and  patriotism, 
more  ready  and  willing  than  ever  to  work  for  the  "  right 
eous  cause"  to  which  they  were  devoting  themselves. 

Materials  are  wanting  for  a  connected  and  detailed  nar 
rative  of  Mr.  Thomas's  life  during  the  Revolution.  The 
Spy  is  indeed  the  weekly  record  of  thought  and  opinion, 
but  he  seldom  speaks  of  matters  merely  personal.  A  few 
incidents  only  can  now  be  gathered  up.  In  May,  1775,  the 
Provincial  Congress  established  a  system  of  post-riders  and 
post-offices  to  continue  until  other  provision  was  made  by 


Ixviii         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

the  Continental  Congress  or  the  Province.  In  the  resolve 
establishing  the  system  Mr.  Thomas  was  appointed  Post 
master  for  Worcester.  In  the  fall  of  1775  the  Continental 
Congress  established  a  post-office  department  for  all  the 
colonies;  that  which  had  existed  under  the  Crown  having 
been  broken  up  by  the  disorders  of  the  times.  Dr.  Frank 
lin  was  appointed  Postmaster,  with  power  to  establish  such 
post  routes  and  appoint  such  deputies  as  he  should  think 
proper.  He  selected  Mr  Thomas  for  the  office  at  Wor 
cester.  His  commission  was  several  times  renewed  by 
Franklin's  successors.  It  was  in  the  year  following  (1776) 
that  Franklin  was  at  Worcester,  and  Mr.  Thomas  first 
became  acquainted  with  the  man  to  whose  history  and 
character  his  own,  in  a  humble  way,  had  many  points  of 
resemblance. 

We  get  some  glimpses  of  Mr.  Thomas  in  the  autumn  of 
1775  and  spring  of  1776  from  the  recollections  of  Benjamin 
Russell,  better  known  as  Ben  Eussell,  afterward  the  dis 
tinguished  editor  of  the  Boston  Centinel,  who  in  August 
1775  was  carried  by  his  father  to  Worcester  and  indentured 
as  an  apprentice  to  Mr.  Thomas.  The  stories  which  old 
men  tell  of  their  youth  are  seldom  spoiled  from  lack  of 
condiment.  Those  of  Mr.  Russell  were  always  racy.  His 
master,  Mr.  Russell  used  to  say,  was  not  at  that  time  in 
very  affluent  circumstances.  During  the  first  year,  he 
with  a  fellow  apprentice  slept  in  a  garret  over  the  printing 
office  on  the  rags  that  were  taken  from  time  to  time  for 
the  paper  maker.  Not  only  his  apprentices  but  the  mas 
ter  himself  frequently  made  their  meals  at  the  office  on 
bread  and  milk,  bought  by  the  pennyworth  at  a  time. 

Mr.  Thomas  remained  at  Worcester  editing  and  print 
ing  the  Spy  till  the  spring  of  1776,  when  he  leased  for  a 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixix 

year  a  part  of  his  printing  apparatus  and  his  newspaper  to 
William  Stearns  and  Daniel  Bigelow,  two  young  gentle 
men  of  the  Bar  of  Worcester,  intelligent  and  patriotic,  but 
with  no  experience  in  editing,  much  less  in  printing  a 
newspaper. 

With  the  small  remaining  part  of  his  printing  materials 
he  went  to  Salem,  with  the  view  of  starting  business,  but 
"  obstructions  arising"  he  sold  his  press  and  types  and 
gave  up  the  plan.  The  nature  of  the  obstructions  will  be 
understood  when  we  learn  that  three  writs  of  attachment 
were  served  upon  his  press  and  types  in  a  single  evening ; 
and  that  he  was  compelled  to  sell  them  to  pay  his  debts. 

In  the  year  1777  he  leased  again  the  Spy  and  his  press  at 
Worcester  to  Antony  Haswell.  His  family,  in  1776  and 
1777,  were  living  on  a  small  farm  in  Londonderry,  New 
Hampshire.  They  must  have  been  dark  years  to  him. 
How  he  was  employed  I  have  not  been  able  to  learn.  I 
only  know  that  he  was  always  industrious,  and  that,  some 
how  or  other,  he  got  through  them  and  supported  his  family. 
There  was  at  least  one  bright  day  for  him  in  their  calendar. 
While  on  a  visit  to  Worcester,  July  24th,  1776,  he  read  from 
the  porch  of  the  South  Church,  to  an  assembly  consisting 
of  almost  the  entire  population  of  that  and  adjoining  towns, 
the  declaration  of  independence.  He  may  well  have  had  a 
just  pride  in  the  reading  of  that  declaration.  He  could  not 
fail  to  see  it  was  grounded  on  principles  he  had  been  among 
the  earliest  to  espouse  and  defend.  The  declaration  was 
received  with  every  demonstration  of  joy  and  confidence. 
The  King's  arms  were  taken  from  the  Court  House  and 
burned  to  ashes.  The  sign  was  removed  from  the  King's 
Arms  tavern,  and  a  joyful  celebration  had  there  in  the 
evening,  when  twenty-one  patriotic  toasts  were  given,  and 


Ixx  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

the  punch  flowed  freely.  Russell,  who  seems  to  have  been 
leased  to  Stearns  and  Bigelow  with  the  press  and  paper,  in 
describing  the  affair  to  Mr.  Buckingham  said,  "we  were 
all  so  happy  we  did  not  know  exactly  what  we  did,  but  we 
gave  full  vent  to  our  patriotic  feelings  till  a  late  hour  in 
the  evening.  We  were  a  little  surprised  in  the  morning  to 
find  that  about  a  dozen  of  us  had  enlisted  as  private  sol 
diers  in  the  army ;  a  recruiting  officer  being  then  in  the 
town."  Mr.  Thomas  however  got  him  released  on  the 
ground  that  he  was  not  sixteen  years  of  age. 

In  the  spring  of  1778,  Mr.  Thomas  returned  to  Worcester, 
took  possession  of  his  press,  and  resumed  the  publication 
of  the  Spy.  Worcester  was  thenceforth  to  be  his  home  ; 
in  it  he  was  to  pass  the  remainder  of  his  long  life.  He 
was  very  fortunate  in  the  place  of  his  residence.  There 
were  disadvantages  in  doing  business  so  far  from  the  sea 
board,  but  saving  this,  all  else  was  propitious.  Worcester 
was  one  of  the  largest  and  most  beautiful  of  the  inland 
towns  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  indeed  of  the  New  England 
Colonies.  The  village  was  then,  and  for  half  a  century 
later,  on  one  broad,  beautiful  street,  in  a  lovely  valley  en 
vironed  by  hills  of  gentle  ascent  and  well  rounded  sum 
mits.  The  view  as  you  entered  the  village  from  the  east 
was  charming.  The  long  broad  street  arched  with  graceful 
elms  ;  the  neat,  many  of  them  elegant  and  spacious,  man 
sions  standing  back  from  the  way  with  grass  plats  or  flower 
beds  in  front,  and  shrubbery  at  their  sides,  and  the  general 
air  of  comfort,  refinement  and  taste,  delighted  all  travelers. 
The  town  was  some  six  miles  square,  and  agriculture  its 
chief  pursuit ;  but  it  was  the  shire  of  the  county  and  in  its 
central  village.  Within  a  mile's  compass,  were  gathered 
the  county  officers,  eminent  lawyers,  and  a  number  of  mer- 


MEMOIR  or  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixxi 

chants  and  traders  who  supplied  the  wants  of  a  large  sur 
rounding  country.  It  had  several  large  inns,  like  the 
Kings  Arms,  well  known  throughout  the  Bay  and  places 
of  much  resort,  not  only  during  the  terms  of  the  courts,  but 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year. 

John  Adams,  when  its  village  schoolmaster,  has,  in  his 
diary,  given  us  some  pleasant  sketches  of  society  in  Wor 
cester  some  twenty  years  before  our  date,  and  of  his  tak 
ing  tea  with  the  Putnams,  Greens,  Chandlers,  and  Ma- 
cartys  of  the  village;  a  custom  not  yet  obsolete.  Then, 
as  ever  since,  Worcester  was  distinguished  for  its  agree 
able  and  cultivated  society,  for  the  number  of  its  emi 
nent  men  and  attractive  and  accomplished  women.  Some 
members  of  the  older  families  who  had  adhered  to  the 
crown  had  left  in  1778,  but  there  were  new  accessions 
among  the  Whigs,  the  Lincolns  and  Aliens,  Waldos  and 
Salisburys,  to  fill  their  places.  But  the  fact  of  greatest  im 
portance  in  this  new  home  of  the  young  printer  is  that  it 
was  alive  and  growing.  As  well  bury  a  young  man  at 
once  as  plant  him  in  a  place  that  is  torpid  or  retroceding, 
where  the  spirit  of  enterprise  and  thrift  has  died  out.  Few 
young  men  are  capable  of  resisting  its  repressing  and 
becalming  influences. 

It  was  a  hard  time  to  begin  business  anew.  All  business 
was  disordered  by  a  paper  currency  daily  depreciating ; 
materials  and  labor  were  difficult  to  be  procured ;  sub 
scriptions  to  his  paper  hard  to  be  got  and  harder  to  be 
collected.  Mr.  Thomas  however  started  with  new  resolu 
tion  and  courage  which  carried  him  through  the  war  even, 
with  some  small  measure  of  pecuniary  success.  In  a  few 
months  after  his  return  he  was  so  fortunate  as  to  purchase 
some  new  types,  which  were  taken  in  a  vessel  from  London 


Ixxii          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

and  the  Spy  came  out  in  a  new  dress.  Removed  from  the 
personal  collisions,  insults  and  threats,  to  which  he  had 
been  subjected  by  the  officers  and  soldiers,  and  their  allies 
in  Boston,  the  tone  and  temper  of  the  paper,  while  equally 
patriotic  and  firm,  were  more  temperate  and  impersonal. 
Many  of  the  loyalists  had  left  the  province ;  those  who  re 
mained  were  quiet  and  inactive.  Though  Mr.  Thomas 
was  the  editor,  many  able  writers  among  the  patriots  con 
tributed  to  the  columns  of  the  Spy.  It  did  an  excellent 
work,  not  merely  by  giving  accurate  information  of  the 
progress  of  the  war  but  in  keeping  up  the  hope  and  trust 
of  the  people.  The  "  trumpeter"  gave  no  uncertain  sound. 
In  1780  Mr.  Thomas  was  drafted  as  a  soldier.  He  must 
go  or  procure  a  substitute ;  there  was  no  money  commu 
tation.  He  was  felt  to  be  an  useful  soldier  at  home  that 
could  not  be  spared  from  his  press ;  and  his  apprentice  Rus 
sell  readily  consented  to  go  in  his  place.  Russell's  term  was 
but  six  months  and  he  never  was  in  battle.  He  joined  the 
army  at  West  Point  and  was  one  of  the  guard  who  attended 
Major  Andre  to  the  place  of  execution.  Upon  his  return, 
Mr.  Russell  thought  that  in  consideration  of  his  service  he 
ought  to  be  discharged  from  his  apprenticeship,  and 
Thomas,  though  reluctant  to  part  with  so  good  a  workman, 
consented.  Mr.  Thomas  from  his  return  to  Worcester  in 
1778  seems  to  have  gained  ground  slowly  but  steadily. 
The  circulation  of  his  paper  was  extended,  and  he  added  to 
his  income  a  little  by  job  printing.  From  1781,  and  es 
pecially  after  the  peace  of  1783,  his  progress  was  more 
marked  and  rapid.  Xew  types  and  better  paper  were 
procured  for  the  Spy,  and  it  was  enlarged  to  five  columns. 
It  was,  says  Mr.  Buckingham,  a  most  competent  judge, 
well  conducted  and  filled  with  excellent  matter.  Besides 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixxiii 

selections  of  news  and  communications  on  interesting  sub 
jects,  the  whole  of  Robertson7 s  History  of  America,  Gordon's 
History  of  the  Revolution,  and  large  extracts  from  Guthric's 
Geography,  and  other  British  publications,  enriched  its 
pages  and  made  it  more  valuable  than  any  paper  published 
in  Massachusetts." 

To  the  business  of  editing  and  publishing  a  newspaper 
he  added  that  of  printing,  publishing  and  selling  books,  at 
the  first  however  in  a  small  way. 

For  the  two  years  from  March  1780  to  March  1788  the 
publication  of  the  Spy  was  suspended,  and  in  its  place  was 
printed,  in  octavo  form,  the  Worcester  Magazine.  The 
reasons  for  the  suspension  were  these.  In  March,  1785, 
the  General  Court  laid  a  stamp  duty  of  two  thirds  of  a 
penny  on  newspapers  and  a  penny  on  almanacs.  This 
law  revived  the  memories  of  1765,  and  was  so  odious  that 
it  was  repealed  before  it  went  into  operation.  In  July, 
1785,  an  act  was  passed  imposing  a  duty  on  all  advertise 
ments  in  newspapers  printed  in  the  state.  This  act  was 
thought  by  Thomas  and  other  printers  to  be  a  still  greater 
grievance.  "  A  shackle,"  says  the  Spy,  "  which  no  legisla 
ture  but  ours,  in  British  or  United  America,  have  laid  upon 
the  press,  which  when  free  is  the  great  bulwark  of  liberty." 
The  act  was  very  unpopular  (the  only  excuse  for  it  was 
that  government  must  be  supported),  and  was  repealed. 
In  April,  1788,  the  Spy  reappeared.  "  The  printer  has  once 
more  the  pleasure  of  presenting  to  the  public  the  Massa 
chusetts  Spy  or  Worcester  Gazette,  restored  to  its  constitu 
tional  liberty  (thanks  to  our  present  legislature)  after  a 
suspension  of  two  years." 

The  Worcester  Magazine  was  after  all  the  Spy  with  a 
new  name  and  form  without  the  advertisements.  The 


Ixxiv         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

magazine  for  the  two  years  makes  four  volumes  octavo. 
In  it  will  be  found,  with  much  other  interesting  matter, 
very  full  accounts  of  the  Shays  rebellion,  and  of  the  pro 
ceedings  and  discussions  leading  to  the  formation  and 
adoption  of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States.  Mr. 
Thomas,  though  appreciating  and  sympathizing  with  the 
sufferings  of  the  people,  was  a  firm  supporter  of  the  govern 
ment.  In  a  position  with  his  postriders  to  obtain  early  in 
formation  of  the  plans  and  movements  of  the  rebels,  he 
was  able  to  render  important  aid  to  the  authorities  in  Bos 
ton,  lie  was  not  by  nature  rebel  or  radical.  He  had  a 
strong  love  of  liberty,  of  the  state  and  personal,  but  it  was 
liberty  regulated  by  law. 

In  the  Spy  and  Magazine  Mr.  Thomas  supported  the  adop 
tion  of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States.  Popular 
opinion  in  the  county  was  against  it.  We  observe  that 
he  is  very  careful  to  publish  everything  that  Washington 
said  or  wrote  on  the  subject,  and  this  not  only  from  the 
unbounded  reverence  he  had  for  the  man  but  from  a 
sense  of  the  vast  influence  his  voice  and  judgment  would 
have  in  determining  the  question.  It  is  not  perhaps  too 
much  to  say,  that  the  weight  of  that  influence  turned 
the  scale.  The  knowledge  that  Washington  approved  of 
it,  the  general  expectation  that  he  would  be  called  to 
administer  it,  conciliated  and  drew  to  its  support  men 
whose  prepossessions  were  all  against  it,  who  found  it 
difficult  to  reconcile  such  large  central  power  with  local 
independence  and  home  government.  Washington,  it  is 
well  known,  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  action  of  Massachu 
setts.  On  the  last  page  of  the  last  number  of  the  magazine 
is  a  letter  of  his  to  a  gentleman  in  Boston  (General  Lincoln), 
in  which  after  speaking  of  the  candid  and  conciliatory 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixxv 

course  of  the  minority  of  the  convention  after  the  vote  had 
been  taken,  he  says  :  "  The  adoption  of  the  constitution  in 
Massachusetts  will,  I  presume,  have  great  influence  in  ob 
taining  a  favorable  determination  upon  it  in  those  states 
which  have  not  yet  decided." 

~No  man  felt  more  quickly  the  invigorating  influences 
of  the  adoption  of  the  national  constitution  and  the  putting 
into  operation  the  national  government  than  Mr.  Thomas. 
His  business  was  rapidly  built  up  and  extended.  He  em 
barked  in  the  art  or  mystery  of  making  and  selling  books 
in  all  its  branches.  He  conducted  it  with  great  enterprise, 
skill  and  judgment,  and  as  the  fruit  of  these  with  great 
success. 

He  built  a  large  paper  mill  and  made  his  own  paper,  he 
printed  books,  he  established  an  extensive  bindery,  and  he 
sold  at  wholesale  and  retail  his  own  publications  and  all  new 
works  from  the  presses  at  London.  His  business  extended 
to  almost  every  part  of  the  Union.  At  one  time  he  had  under 
his  control,  and  that  of  his  partners,  sixteen  presses  con 
stantly  employed,  seven  of  them  in  Worcester.  He  had 
five  bookstores  in  Massachusetts,  one  in  Concord,  New 
Hampshire,  one  in  Albany,  New  York,  and  one  in  Balti 
more.  His  business  at  Worcester  alone  would  be  regarded 
as  extensive  even  in  this  age  of  the  multiplication  of  books. 
Viewed  with  reference  to  the  time  and  place,  a  village  then 
so  far  in  the  interior  and  with  so  few  facilities  of  communi 
cation,  it  affords  striking  proof  of  his  business  capacity. 

In  1788  Mr.  Thomas  established  a  printing  and  book 
selling  business  in  Boston,  taking  with  him  as  partner  a 
former  apprentice,  Ebenezer  T.  Andrews,  under  the  firm  of 
Thomas  and  Andrews.  This  store  was  in  Newbury  street 
under  the  sign  of  Faust's  head.  It  speaks  well  for  Mr. 


Ixxvi         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Thomas  that  his  partners,  in  almost  every  instance,  wore 
persons  who  had  learned  their  art  and  trade  with  him.  A 
large  and  successful  business  was  carried  on  by  the  firm  of 
Thomas  and  Andrews.  They  published  from  1789  to 
1793,  inclusive,  the  Massachusetts  Magazine,  a  monthly  de 
voted  to  letters  and  the  arts,  and  illustrated  by  engravings. 
It  was  quite  popular  and  useful  in  its  day;  and  an  examina 
tion  of  it  now  may  serve  at  least  to  mark  the  progress 
we  have  made  in  general  culture  and  in  art.  The  store 
and  printing  office  in  Boston  were  but  a  branch  of  his 
business.  Mr.  Thomas  remained  at  Worcester,  and  his 
principal  establishment  was  there.  It  may  give  some 
further  idea  of  its  materials  and  resources  to  state  that  his, 
for  that  day,  splendid  editions  of  the  Bible,  in  folio  (with 
fifty  copper  plates)  and  quarto,  were  carried  through  in  a 
little  more  than  twelve  months.  He  was  in  fact  one  of  the 
largest  book  publishers  of  his  time  on  either  side  of  the 
Atlantic.  As  editor  of  a  newspaper  and  almanac,  as 
printer,  publisher  and  seller  of  school  books,  Bibles,  law 
books,  and  books  of  general  literature,  the  name  of  Isaiah 
Thomas  became  throughout  the  country  a  household  word. 
His  work  was  remarkable  for  elegance  and  accuracy. 
Rev.  Peter  Whitney,  the  historian  of  Worcester  county, 
says,  "  his  editions  of  the  Bible  are  found  upon  examina 
tion  the  most  correct  of  any  now  extant."  The  celebrated 
Brissot  (de  Warville),  the  famous  Girondist  leader,  in  his 
travels  in  the  United  States  in  1788,  says :  "  Nous  allfimes 
diner  a  Worcester  &  48  miles  de  Boston;  cette  ville  estjoue  ct 
bien  peuplee ;  1'imprimeur  Isaias  Thomas  1'a  rendue  celebre 
dans  tout  le  continent  Americain.  II  imprime  la  pi  apart 
des  ouvrages  que  paroissent ;  et  1'on  avouer  quo  ses  editions 
sont  correctes  et  bien  soignecs.  Thomas  est  le  Didut  des 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixxvii 

Etats-Unis."  A  relative  of  Dr.  Franklin,  in  a  letter  before 
me,  says  :  "  Being  one  day  in  the  Doctor's  library,  I  opened 
an  elegant  folio  Bible  and  said,  this  is  a  most  splendid  edi 
tion.  Yes,  he  said,  it  was  printed  by  Baskerville,  the 
greatest  printer  in  England,  and  your  countryman  Mr. 
Thomas  of  Worcester  is  the  Baskerville  of  America."  As 
England  produces  now  in  the  art  of  printing  no  superior  to 
Baskerville  we  shall  have  to  give  considerable  force  to  the 
addition  "  of  America."  The  remark  no  doubt  had  some 
thing  in  it  of  personal  kindness.  Mr.  Thomas  had  known 
Franklin  for  many  years.  He  had  been  appointed  post 
master  by  him,  and  Franklin  had  visited  him  at  Worcester. 
It  would  have  been  enough  to  have  secured  Franklin's  re 
gard  that  Mr.  Thomas  was  so  good  a  patriot ;  his  skill  in 
printing  was  another  bond  of  sympathy.  Dr.  Franklin,  like 
all  printers  who  have  become  eminent,  retained  a  great 
affection  for  the  art.  Mr.  Thomas  saw  him  for  the  last 
time  in  1788,  when  a  number  of  printers  and  booksellers 
met  at  Philadelphia  to  form  some  rules  for  the  benefit  of 
the  trade.  Mr.  Thomas  and  Benjamin  Franklin  Bache, 
the  grandson  of  Franklin,  were  of  the  number.  After  the 
first  meeting  Mr.  Thomas  had  a  long  conversation  with 
Dr.  Franklin  upon  the  objects  of  the  meeting.  Dr.  Franklin 
manifested  a  deep  interest  in  the  matter.  Unable  to  go 
abroad  from  the  state  of  his  health,  he  desired  to  have  the 
next  meeting  at  his  own  house.  The  convention  of  course 
felt  itself  greatly  honored  by  such  a  request,  and  the  Doctor, 
though  suffering  constant  pain  from  the  calculus,  entered 
freely  into  the  plans  and  discussions  of  the  meeting.  He  was 
then  in  his  eighty-third  year,  suffering  constant  bodily  pain, 
but  with  a  mind  as  vigorous,  a  wisdom  as  large  and  practical, 
and  manners  as  easy  and  winning,  as  in  the  noon  of  life. 


Ixxviii      HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

The  man  for  whom  Mr.  Thomas  had,  if  possible,  a  yet 
higher  reverence,  Washington,  visited  Worcester  in  the 
course  of  his  New  England  tour  in  the  autumn  of  1789. 
The  Spy  of  October  22d  1789  has  a  notice  of  his  brief  visit. 
"Information  being  received  on  Thursday  morning  (Octo 
ber  22d)  that  his  Highness  would  be  in  town  the  next 
morning,  a  number  of  respectable  citizens,  about  forty,  pa 
raded  before  sunrise  on  horseback,  and  went  as  far  as 
Leicester  line  to  welcome  him,  and  escorted  him  into 
town.  The  Worcester  company  of  artillery,  commanded 
by  Major  Treadwell,  were  already  assembled;  on  notice 
being  given  that  his  Highness  was  approaching,  five 
cannon  were  fired  for  the  five  New  England  States ;  three 
for  the  three  in  the  Union ;  one  for  Vermont  which  will 
speedily  be  admitted;  and  one  as  a  call  to  Rhode  Island  to 
be  ready  before  it  be  too  late.  When  the  President  Gene 
ral  arrived  in  sight  of  the  meeting  house,  eleven  cannon 
were  fired ;  he  viewed  with  attention  the  artillery  company 
as  he  passed,  and  expressed  to  the  inhabitants  his  sense  of 
the  honor  done  him.  He  stopped  at  the  United  States 
Arms  and  breakfasted,  and  then  proceeded  on  his  journey. 
To  gratify  the  inhabitants  he  politely  passed  through  the 
town  on  horseback,  dressed  in  a  brown  suit,  and  pleasure 
glowed  in  every  countenance ;  eleven  cannon  were  then 
fired.  The  gentlemen  of  the  town  escorted  him  a  few 
miles,  when  they  took  their  leave." 

E.  Smith  Thomas,  a  nephew  of  Isaiah  Thomas,  was  then 
one  of  his  apprentices.  "  A  boy  of  fourteen,"  he  writes 
many  years  afterwards,  "  I  was  presented  to  Washington 
by  my  distinguished  kinsman,  Isaiah  Thomas.  I  can  never 
forget  his  words  or  my  feelings  on  the  occasion.  '  Young 
man/  he  said,  'your  uncle  has  set  you  a  bright  example  of 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixxix 

patriotism,  and  never  forget  that  next  to  our  God  we  owe 
our  highest  duty  to  our  country." 

Smith  Thomas  went  to  live  with  his  uncle,  to  learn  the 
art  of  printing,  in  1788.  In  the  reminiscences  of  his  life 
and  times,  published  in  1840,  we  find  some  notices  of  his 
kinsman.  Speaking  of  the  Spy,  he  says :  "  Mr.  Thomas  was 
a  pungent  writer,  possessing  a  clear  and  strong  style,  with 
the  most  biting  sarcasm."  This  is  extravagant.  "  He  was 
constantly  aided  by  the  powerful  pens  of  General  Ward, 
Dwight  Foster,  Edward  Bangs,  and  others,  so  that  his 
paper,  which  was  a  small  weekly  sheet,  was  always  well 
filled  with  matter  calculated  to  confirm  the  patriotic  in 
their  course  and  prevent  the  wavering  from  going  over  to 
the  enemy."  (He  had  then  built  his  extensive  printing 
office,  bookstore  and  bindery.)  "  Few  gentlemen  passed 
through  Worcester  without  calling  to  see  the  proprietor  and 
his  establishment,  who  never  failed  to  treat  them  with  the 
most  marked  politeness.  In  his  person  Mr.  Thomas  was 
tall  and  elegantly  formed,  in  his  dress  fashionable  to  a 
fault,  in  his  manners  elegant,  with  a  mind  stored  by  a  most 
extensive  acquaintance  with  the  best  authors  whether  in 
literature  or  science."  With  fair  allowance  for  the  rela 
tion  of  the  parties  and  the  impression  the  accomplished 
master  makes  on  the  apprentice,  and  the  teacher  on  the 
pupil,  the  description  conforms  to  the  general  recollection 
of  Mr.  Thomas's  contemporaries. 

Into  the  cultivated  society  of  the  town,  the  self  educated 
printer  and  bookseller  made  easy  way,  and  in  intellectual 
culture  and  manners  found  himself  among  equals.  When 
his  business  had  expanded,  and  his  income  enlarged,  he 
built  what  was  for  the  time  a  spacious  and  elegant  mansion, 


Ixxx  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

which  daring  his  long  life  was  the  seat  of  an  open,  refined 
and  generous  hospitality. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  a  supporter  of  the  administration  of 
Washington  and  of  the  Federal  party.  He  was  not,  ac 
cording  to  the  standard  of  his  times,  a  bitter  partizan,  but 
those  were  times  when  men  had  strong  convictions  and 
expressed  them  clearly,  not  to  say  fiercely.  We  have  seen 
with  what  ardor  and  at  what  peril  and  sacrifice  he  main 
tained  the  liberties  of  the  colonies  —  indeed  liberty  every 
where.  The  experience  of  the  war  and  of  the  seven  years 
of  confusion  and  disorder  which  followed  it,  taught  him 
the  necessity  of  a  strong,  stable,  efficient,  national  govern 
ment,  lie  believed  the  constitution  had  been  so  framed  and 
adopted,  and  should  be  so  administered,  as  to  give  the 
country  such  a  government.  Under  such  a  government 
he  lived  to  see  his  country  free,  prosperous,  happy.  In 
his  preface  to  his  edition  of  the  Bible,  in  1791,  he  says :  "  The 
general  state  of  our  country  must  afford  satisfaction  to 
every  benevolent  mind.  Evidences  of  increasing  prosperity 
present  themselves  on  every  side  to  our  view.  Abroad, 
our  national  character  is  rising  to  dignity  and  eminence, 
at  home,  confidence  is  established  in  our  government,  the 
spirit  of  patriotism  appears  to  be  the  actuating  principle 
with  the  distinguished  characters  of  our  age,  and  the 
greatest  exertions  are  making  for  the  public  good.  The 
civil  and  religious  rights  of  men  are  generally  understood, 
and  by  all  enjoyed.  The  sciences  which  open  to  the  minds 
of  men  a  view  of  the  works  and  ways  of  God,  and  the  arts 
which  tend  to  the  support,  the  convenience,  and  the  orna 
ment  of  society,  begin  to  receive  proper  encouragement 
from  the  administration  of  state  and  national  governments ; 
and  by  the  application  and  enterprise  of  individuals  arc 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixxxi 

approaching  to  excellence  and  perfection.  The  means  of 
a  good  education  are  daily  becoming  more  general,  and 
the  present  spirit  of  industry  and  economy,  which  pervades 
all  classes  of  men,  furnishes  the  brightest  prospects  of 
future  prosperity  and  welfare.  While  a  general  solicitude 
prevails  to  encourage  the  Arts  and  to  promote  national 
honor,  dignity  and  happiness,  can  any  be  indifferent  to 
those  improvements  which  are  necessary  to  secure  to  all 
the  free  and  independent  exercise  of  the  Rights  of  Con 
science  ?  The  civil  authority  hath  set  an  example  of  mode 
ration  and  candor  to  all  Christians,  by  securing  equal 
privileges  to  all ;  and  it  must  be  their  ardent  and  united 
wish,  independently  of  foreign  aid,  to  be  supplied  with 
copies  of  the  sacred  Scriptures  — the  foundation  of  their  re 
ligion — a  religion  which  furnishes  motives  to  the  faithful 
performance  of  every  patriotick,  civil  and  social  duty, 
superior  to  the  temptations  of  ambition,  avarice  and  selfish 
ness  ;  which  opens  prospects  to  the  human  mind  that  will 
be  realized  when  the  relation  to  civil  government  shall  be 
dissolved,  and  which  will  raise  its  real  disciples  to  their 
highest  glory  and  happiness,  when  the  monuments  of 
human  genius,  art  and  enterprise,  shall  be  lost  in  the  gene 
ral  dissolution  of  nature." 

In  1802  Mr.  Thomas  relinquished  his  business  in  Wor 
cester  to  his  son,  who  bore  his  name  and  shared  his  tastes. 
Though  he  had  acquired  an  ample  fortune  he  was  not  a 
man  to  remain  idle.  He  was  not  merely  a  printer  of  books 
but  a  reader,  and  early  began  the  collection  of  a  library. 
Amid  the  cares  of  a  vast  business  he  always  found  some 
time  for  reading  and  study.  He  was  strongly  attached  to 
the  art  to  which,  for  nearly  half  a  century,  he  had  been 
devoted.  There  was  no  history  of  printing  in  America, 

L 


Ixxxii       HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

and  he  would  try  to  supply  the  want.  There  was  danger 
that  many  of  the  facts  would  he  irrecoverahly  lost.  He 
had  known  personally  the  leading  printers  of  his  time  and 
had  heard  the  story  of  many  earlier  printers  from  their 
successors.  No  person  then  living  had  so  imuch  knowledge 
of  the  subject,  not  to  be  found  in  books  — the  unwritten  his 
tory.  But  he  spares  no  labor  or  expense  in  gathering  the 
materials  for  his  work.  The  collection  of  newspapers  for 
the  purpose,  with  those  he  already  possessed,  made  the 
largest  collection  in  the  country.  The  modest  view  of 
Mr.  Thomas  was  not  so  much  to  write  the  history  as  to 
collect  and  preserve  the  materials  for  a  history.  lie 
"  makes  no  pretence  to  elegance  of  diction"  but  is  content 
with  a  plain,  unadorned  statement  of  facts;"  yet  there  are 
some  of  the  biographical  sketches  whose  easy,  simple  and 
attractive  style,  reminds  us  of  the  greatest  American  printer, 
writer,  statesman  and  thinker. 

The  result  of  his  researches  and  labors  was  the  History 
of  Printing,  published  in  1810,  in  two  volumes  octavo. 
Upon  the  value  of  this  contribution  to  the  history  of  the 
country  I  will  not  enlarge.  Its  general  accuracy  and 
fidelity  have  been  recognized  by  historians,  students,  and 
antiquarians. 

In  his  business  as  printer  and  bookseller,  in  gathering 
the  materials  for  his  history  of  printing,  having  a  deep  per 
sonal  interest  in  the  annals  of  a  country  whose  course  he 
had  watched,  not  idly,  from  colonial  dependence  to  national 
greatness,  a  lover  and  reader  of  books,  touched  early  by 
the  gentlest  of  infirmities,  bibliomania,  he  had  collected  a 
library  especially  rich  as  to  the  fountains  and  springs  (fontes 
ct  origines)  of  American  history.  His  researches  had 
taught  him  the  value  of  such  a  collection  ;  his  observation 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixxxiii 

and  experience  had  shown  him  how  quickly  the  sources  of 
our  history  were  drying  up,  how  rapidly  the  monuments 
of  the  past  were  crumbling  and  wasting  away.  He  saw 
and  understood,  no  man  better,  from  what  infinitely  varied 
and  minute  sources  the  history  of  a  nation's  life  was  to  be 
drawn ;  that  the  only  safe  rule  was  to  gather  up  all  the 
fragments  so  that  nothing  be  lost. 

It  was  in  the  light  of  this  experience,  and  with  a  view  to 
garner  up  and  preserve  the  materials  of  our  history,  that 
he  conceived  the  plan  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society, 
of  making  his  own  library  the  basis  of  its  collections,  and 
of  giving  to  the  cause  of  good  letters  a  liberal  share  of  the 
fortune  he  had  acquired  in  their  service.  It  was  in  January, 
1812,  that  his  intent  and  purpose  of  founding  the  society 
were  first  suggested  to  his  friends,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bancroft 
and  Dr.  Oliver  Fiske  of  Worcester.  In  the  spring  and 
summer  of  that  year,  in  consultation  with  them  and  other 
friends,  a  plan  was  matured,  and  on  the  12th  of  October  a 
petition  was  presented  to  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts 
for  an  act  of  incorporation.  The  petition  was  signed  by 
Isaiah  Thomas,  William  Paine,  Levi  Lincoln,  Nathaniel 
Paine,  Aaron  Bancroft,  and  Edward  Bangs.  This  was  in 
the  war,  when  political  strife  was  bitter,  but  the  cause  of 
letters  brought  together  men  who  were  antipodes  in 
political  faith. 

On  the  19th  of  October  Mr.  Thomas  went  to  Boston  to 
wait  upon  the  committee  to  whom  the  petition  had  been 
referred,  and  on  the  20th  a  bill  was  drawn.  It  passed  the 
House  the  23d,  the  Senate  the  24th,  and  was  approved  by 
Governor  Strong,  and  became  a  law  the  same  day.  The 
petition,  in  stating  the  objects  of  the  society,  has  one  line 
which  is  the  key  to  the  society's  history,  "  to  assist  the  re- 


Ixxxiv       HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

searches  of  the  future  historians  of  our  country."  The 
persons  incorporated  were  among  the  most  eminent  citizens 
of  the  commonwealth  in  all  the  walks  of  cultivated  life. 
The  society  was  organized  at  the  Exchange  Coffee  House 
in  Boston  on  the  19th  of  November  1812,  and  Mr.  Thomas 
elected  president. 

At  the  beginning  the  annual  meetings  were  held  in  Boston. 
On  the  first,  Oct.  23d,  1813,  a  public  address  was  delivered 
at  the  Stone  Chapel  by  the  Kev.  Dr.  Jenks.  In  1814  an 
address  was  delivered  in  the  same  church  by  Dr.  Wm. 
Paine,  and  the  society  was  escorted  to  and  from  the  Chapel 
by  the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Artillery  Company. 

The  library  given  by  Mr.  Thomas,  consisting  of  about 
three  thousand  volumes,  was  kept  for  eight  years  in  his 
mansion  on  Court  Hill ;  he,  constantly,  we  might  say  daily, 
adding  to  its  collections.  In  the  fall  of  1820,  it  was  re 
moved  to  Antiquarian  Hall,  erected  for  the  society  by 
Mr.  Thomas  at  a  cost  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  The  first 
volume  of  the  Collections  and  Transactions  of  the  society 
was  also  prepared  and  published  at  his  expense. 

His  interest  in  the  society  never  abated.  He  was  at 
work  for  it  diligently  and  happily  to  the  very  close  of  his 
ilfe.  He  was  reflected  president  till  his  death.  By  his 
will  he  gave  funds  for  the  support  of  a  permanent  librarian, 
and  for  incidental  purposes,  amounting  in  the  whole  to 
twenty-four  thousand  dollars.  His  entire  gifts  to  the  so 
ciety  in  books,  land,  building,  and  legacies  by  his  will,  would 
not  fall  short  of  fifty  thousand  dollars.  His  was  among 
the  early  examples  in  our  country  of  giving  in  a  man's 
lifetime,  and  so  giving  his  own.  "  Defer  not  charities  till 
death,"  says  Lord  Bacon,  "  for  certainly,  if  a  man  weigh  it 
rightly,  he  that  doth  so  is  rather  liberal  of  another  man's 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixxxv 

than  his  own."  Mr.  Thomas's  gifts  to  public  uses  during 
his  lifetime  exceeded  those  by  his  will.  Indeed,  I  incline 
to  the  opinion  that  he  gave  away  in  his  life  more  than  he 
accumulated.  Since  Mr.  Thomas's  death,  the  society  has 
gone  on  quietly,  without  parade,  successfully  accomplish 
ing  the  purpose,  gradually  becoming  more  and  more  clearly 
defined,  of  collecting  and  preserving  the  materials  of 
American  history.  It  has  published  four  volumes  of  Col 
lections  and  Transactions,  which,  where  original,  are  marked 
with  precise  learning  and  thorough  research ;  and,  where 
republications,  by  careful  editing  and  annotations.  It  is 
not  too  much  to  say  they  are  most  valuable  contributions 
to  our  history.  The  library  has  rapidly  increased,  so  that 
it  has  now  over  fifty-three  thousand  volumes,  reckoning  ten 
pamphlets  as  a  volume.  Thanks  to  the  munificence  of  its 
present  president  and  other  friends,  it  has  now  a  new  library 
building,  and  land  for  its  extension,  and  well  invested  funds 
to  the  amount  of  eighty  thousand  dollars. 

The  services  of  Mr.  Thomas  to  his  country  and  to  letters 
were  appreciated  and  recognized  by  his  fellow  citizens. 
So  far  as  I  can  learn,  he  had  no  aspirations  for  political  life 
or  official  service.  The  party  to  whose  principles  he  con 
stantly  adhered  was  in  the  minority  at  Worcester  during 
most  of  his  active  life.  Had  it  been  otherwise,  he  had 
neither  taste,  nor  perhaps  any  peculiar  aptitude,  for  public 
service.  Beside  this,  though  just  and  kind  to  others,  he 
liked  to  do  his  own  thinking,  and  the  free  use  of  lips  and 
pen ;  and  such  men  are  apt  to  find  the  post  of  honor  in  a 
private  station.  In  that  station  he  wielded  a  large  influ 
ence,  and  few  men  of  his  day  were  more  widely  known. 
He  was  made  a  member  of  many  scientific,  historical  and 
philanthropic  societies  throughout  the  country;  among  nu- 


Ixxxvi      HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

merous  others,  the  American  Philosophical  Society  of 
Philadelphia,  the  New  York  Historical  Society,  the  Ameri 
can  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  and  the  Massachusetts 
Historical  Society.  He  received  the  honorary  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts  from  Dartmouth  College,  and  that  of  Doctor 
of  Laws  from  Alleghany  College,  Pennsylvania. 

He  died  on  the  4th  of  April  1831.  His  funeral  took 
place  on  the  7th,  when  a  very  interesting  address  on  his 
life  and  public  services  was  delivered  by  Isaac  Goodwin 
Esq.  of  the  Worcester  Bar. 

This  imperfect  memoir,  the  materials  for  which  have 
been  collected  with  much  tribulation,  has  shown,  I  hope, 
that,  in  three  things  especially,  Mr.  Thomas  rendered  valu 
able  service  to  his  country  —  as  the  editor  and  printer  of  a 
newspaper  which  was  an  able  and  fearless  advocate  of  the 
rights  of  the  colonies  and  of  man,  as  the  author  of  the  His 
tory  of  Printing,  and  as  the  founder  and  benefactor  of  the 
American  Antiquarian  Society. 

In  the  relations  of  townsman,  neighbor,  friend,  we  have 
estimates  of  his  life  and  character  by  those  who  had  the 
fullest  opportunity  and  capacity  to  judge.  The  late  Go 
vernor  Lincoln,  and  this  is  laudari  ab  laudato  viro,  in  his 
pleasant  reminiscences  of  the  Worcester  Fire  Society,  thus 
speaks  of  Mr.  Thomas.  "  With  a  strong  and  vigorous  mind 
and  a  cultivated  intellect,  enterprise,  energy  and  industry  in 
early  life  gave  him  wealth,  and  possessed  of  this,  he  lived  in 
courtly  style,  and  with  beneficent  liberality.  *  *  *  He  was 
a  public  spirited  citizen,  generous  in  his  contributions  to  all 
worthy  objects,  and  a  most  efficient  cooperator  with  others 
in  promoting  the  growth,  improvement  and  prosperity  of  the 
place.  The  city  is  full  of  memorials  of  his  good  deeds." 
Perhaps  a  higher  tribute  was  paid  to  him  by  his  counsellor 


MEMOIR  OF  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  Ixxxvii 

and  friend  of  many  years,  Samuel  M.  Burnside,  when  he 
said  that "  Young  men,  just  entering  into  active  life,  and  en 
gaging  in  the  untried  and  perplexing  mazes  of  business, 
seldom  looked  to  him  in  vain  for  advice,  for  patronage,  for 
assistance." 

William  Lincoln,  the  accomplished  historian  of  Wor 
cester,  familiar  with  every  detail  of  its  record,  says  :  "  while 
his  private  charity  relieved  the  distresses,  his  public  mu 
nificence  promoted  the  improvements  of  the  town."  After 
an  enumeration  of  his  benefactions  to  the  municipal  cor 
poration  he  adds,  "  few  local  works  for  the  public  good  were 
accomplished  without  the  aid  of  his  purse  or  efforts." 

Mr.  Lincoln  closes  his  interesting  memoir  of  Mr.  Thomas 
with  eulogy  not  more  beautiful  than  it  is  just.  "  The  in 
cidents  of  the  life  of  Dr.  Thomas  have  occupied  broad 
space  in  these  poor  annals.  His  memory  will  be  kept 
green  when  the  recollection  of  our  other  eminent  citizens 
shall  have  faded  in  oblivion.  His  reputation  in  future 
time  will  rest  as  a  patriot  on  the  manly  independence  which 
gave,  through  the  initiatory  stages  and  progress  of  the  revo 
lution,  the  strong  influence  of  the  press  he  directed  to  the 
cause  of  freedom,  when  royal  flattery  and  favor  would 
have  seduced,  and  the  powers  of  government  subdued  its 
action;  as  an  antiquarian,  by  the  minuteness  and  fidelity  of 
research  in  the  History  of  Printing  ;  as  a  philanthropist,  on 
the  foundation  and  support  of  a  great  national  society 
whose  usefulness,  with  the  blessing  of  Providence,  will  in 
crease  through  distant  centuries." 


HISTORY 


PRINTING   IN   AMERICA. 


SPANISH  AMERICA. 

The  art  of  printing  was  first  introduced  into  Spanish 
America,  as  early  as  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
The  historians,  whose  works  I  have  consulted,  are  all 
silent  as  to  the  time  when  it  was  first  practiced  on  the 
American  continent ;  and  the  knowledge  we  have  of  the 
Spanish  territories,  especially  of  Mexico  and  Peru,  is  so 
circumscribed,  that  we  cannot  fix  on  any  precise  date  as 
the  period  of  its  commencement ;  hut  it  is  certain  that 
printing  was  executed,  both  in  Mexico  and  Peru,  long 
before  it  made  its  appearance  in  the  British  North  Ameri 
can  colonies.  I  do  not  mean  to  assert,  however,  that  it  is 
impossible  to  ascertain  the  place  where,  and  the  exact  date 
when,  the  first  printing  was  performed  in  the  extensive 
provinces  belonging  to  Spain  in  America;  but  as  respects 
myself,  I  have  found  that  insurmountable  difficulties  have 
attended  the  inquiry.1 


1  When  Mr.  Thomas  wrote  his  History  of  Printing  in  America,  little  was 
known  of  its  introduction  in  Spanish  America.  All  the  works  he  had 
consulted  on  the  subject  were  silent  as  to  the  time.  Historians  of  the  art 
were  ignorant  on  this  point,  for  the  reason  that  if  there  existed  in  Europe 
any  specimens  of  very  early  printing  in  America,  the  investigator  did 
not  know  under  what  name  to  search  for  them.  A  writer  sixty  years 
ago  is  excusable  for  the  lack  of  correct  information,  since  Mr.  Humphreys, 
one  of  the  highest  authorities  and  most  recent  authors  on  the  history  of 
printing,  says  that  the  art  "  was  introduced  in  America  by  Mendoza  in 

1 


2  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Chevillier  refers  his  readers  to  some  books  printed 
early  at  Lima,  the  capital  of  Peru.1 

Luckombe  writes 2  that  "  Printing  was  extended  to 
Africa  and  America,  not  indeed  at  the  invitation  of  the 
natives,  especially  of  America,  but  by  means  of  the  Euro 
peans  ;  and,  particularly,  of  the  Spanish  missionaries,  who 
carried  it  to  the  latter  for  their  ends ;  accordingly,  we  find 
that  several  printing  houses  were  established  very  early  in 
the  city  of  Lima,  and  in  several  cities  of  the  kingdom  of 
Mexico." 

I  am  of  opinion  that  the  first  printing  press  erected  in 
America  was  in  the  city  of  Mexico.  I  have,  however,  been 
enabled  to  ascertain  the  time  when  the  art  of  printing  was 
introduced  into  Mexico  with  greater  precision  than  any 
writer  whose  works  have  come  under  my  inspection,  and 
have  become  acquainted  with  the  name  of  one  of  the 
earliest  Spanish  American  printers,  and  can  state  with  a 
tolerable  degree  of  certainty  that  the  press  was  established 
some  years  before  1569,  in  the  city  of  Mexico.  In  1571  a 
large  and  laborious  work  was  printed  there,  entitled  Vo- 
cabvlario  En-Lengva  Castdlana  y  Mexicana,  compuesto  por  el 
muy  Reuerendo  Padre  Fray  Alonso  de  Molina  de  la  Or  den  del 
bienauenturado  nuestro  Padre  Sant  Francisco.  Dirigido  al  mvy 
excelente  senor  Don  Martin  Enriquez  Visorrey  destanucua  Es- 
pana.  En  Mexico,  en  Casa  de  Antonio  de  Spinosa,  15 71.3 


1566,  his  printer  being  Antonio  Espiuoza."  (Ilist.  Art  of  Printing. 
Lond.,  1868,  p.  206).  Rather  than  attempt  to  alter  Mr.  Thomas's  remarks, 
we  have  preferred  to  give  in  the  appendix  a  new  article  on  the  history 
of  printing  in  Spanish  America,  which  has  been  furnished  us  by  Hon. 
John  R.  Bartlett,  of  Providence,  R.  I.  See  Appendix  A. ~ II. 

1  Chevillier,  a  French  writer,  was  library  keeper  at  the  Sorbonne,  (b.  1636, 
d.  1700). 

2  History  and  Art  of  Printing,  p.  41. 

3  Spanish,  as  well  as  English  and  French  orthography,  has  varied  since 
this  book  was  printed.     The  words  Sanf,   Visorrey,  denhmueua,  are  now 
written  San,  visrey,  de  estfi  nuewi.     The  title    and  imprint  of  this  curious 
book,  which  is  a  folio  volume  of  568  pages,  when  translated  into  Eng- 


SPANISH  AMERICA.  3 

A  press  was  secretly  established  by  the  Jesuits  at  Cor 
dova  soon  after  they  settled  in  Spanish  America,  at  which 
were  printed  grammars  and  dictionaries  of  Peru  and  the 
missions.  Printing  was  prohibited,  excepting  for  the  use 
of  government,  in  all  the  Spanish  provinces;  and  Vicente 
Pazos  asserts  that  "  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  revolution, 
in  1810,  from  Lima  to  Monte  Video,  for  an  extent  of  more 
than  one  thousand  leagues,  including  Peru,  Chili,  and  Eio 
de  la  Plata,  countries  filled  with  cities,  villages,  universi 
ties,  colleges,  schools,  tribunals  of  justice,  and  men  of 
wealth  and  science,  there  was  but  one  miserable  old  print 
ing  press,  and  this  formerly  belonged  to  the  Jesuits  of 
Cordova."1 

Molina's  book  is  numbered  by  leaves,  not  by  pages. 
The  license  for  printing  it  is  dated  in  1569,  and  affords  in 
dubitable  evidence  that  a  press  was  then  operant  in  Mexico. 
The  epistle  dedicatory  is  of  the  same  date;  and  these 
circumstances  show  that  the  book  was  two  years  in  the  press ; 
which  is  not  at  all  improbable,  as  works  of  this  kind  can 
not  be  correct  when  hastily  executed.  Even  at  this  time  a 
work  of  that  class  and  magnitude,  would  not,  in  the  ordi 
nary  course  of  business,  be  printed  from  manuscript  copy  in 
a  much  shorter  period.  It  is  to  be  presumed  that  the  prac 
tice  with  regard  to  title  pages,  was  the  same  then  as  at  the 
present  day ;  and  that  the  title  page  of  this  book  did  not 
go  to  press  until  the  rest  of  the  work  was  completed. 

This  dictionary,  in  two  parts,  consists,  first,  of  122  leaves, 
or  244  pages,  of  Spanish  and  Mexican ;  and,  secondly,  of 
162  leaves,  or  324  pages,  of  Mexican  and  Spanish.  A  very 


lish,  reads  thus:  A  Dictionary  in  the  Castilian  and  Mexican  Languages 
composed  Ity  the  very  reverend  FatJier  Friar  Alonzo  de  Molina,  of  the  order 
of  our  well  disposed  Father  Saint  Francis.  Dedicated  to  the  very  excellent 
Don  Martin  Enriquez,  Viceroy  of  this  New  Spain.  Imprint — In  Mexico,  in 
the  House  of  Antonio  de  Spinosa.  1571. 
1  See  the  letters  of  Vicente  Pazos  to  the  Hon.  Henry  Clay. 


4  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

large  cut  of  a  coat  of  arms,  probably  that  of  the  viceroy  to 
whom  the  book  is  dedicated,  fills  two-thirds  of  the  title 
page;  the  arms  are  in  eight  compartments,  surmounted 
with  a  coronet. 

This  book  furnishes  incontestable  evidence  that  the 
Spaniards  established  the  press,  in  the  American  con 
tinent,  many  years  before  the  English  planted  a  colony 
in  this  quarter  of  the  world. 

The  abbe  Clavigero,1  a  Mexican  writer,  mentions  that 
"the  laborious  Franciscan,  Bernardino  Sahagun,  composed 
in  pure  and  elegant  Mexican  language,  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  hymns,  one  for  each  day  in  the  yoar;"  and  in  a 
note  he  adds,  that  he  "  saw  a  copy  of  this  book  in  a  library 
of  the  Jesuits  of  Angelopoli,  printed  at  Mexico,  to  the  best 
of  his  recollection,  in  the  year  1540.  If  Clavigero  is  correct, 
printing  was  introduced  into  Spanish  America  one  hundred 
years  before  it  appeared  in  the  English  colonies. 

Antonio  de  Herrera,  in  his  General  History  of  America, 
from  the  discovery  to  1554,  observes  in  relation  to  the 
rebuilding  of  Mexico  by  the  Spaniards,  which  began  in 
1524,  "  such  was  the  care  and  industry  of  Cortes  the  con 
queror,  that  all  sorts  of  artificers  resorted  to  the  place. 
There  were  soon  erected  a  mint,  a  college,  and  a  printing 
house.  So  that  the  city  became  as  renowned  as  any  in 
Europe."  He  afterwards  mentions  that  in  1537,  "  the 
viceroy  ordered  the  college,  founded  by  the  Franciscan 
friars,  at  Mexico,  for  teaching  boys  the  Latin  grammar, 
should  be  finished."  From  this  account  we  may  conclude 
that  printing  was  introduced  into  Mexico  previously  to  the 
year  1540,  and  probably  as  early  as  1530. 

The  religion  of  the  Spaniards  has  suffered  very  little,  if 
any  innovation  ;  and  many  of  the  books  they  have  printed 
in  America  are  on  religious  subjects.  Copies  of  these, 


'See  C  If  ivigero's  History  of  Mexico,  Philadelphia  edition,  vol.  n,p.  206. 


MEXICO  AND  PERU.  5 

together  with,  those  of  various  histories  of  the  old  world, 
and  of  the  discovery  and  settlement  of  America,  which 
have,  from  time  to  time,  issued  from  the  Mexican  and 
Peruvian  presses,  are,  it  is  said,  preserved  in  the  colleges 
of  the  capital  cities  in  those  provinces,  together  with  many 
heavy  folio  volumes  in  manuscript,  respecting  the  country, 
and  written  there.  In  this  age  of  revolutions,  those,  and 
the  other  provinces  of  Spain,  may  experience  some  con 
vulsions  of  the  revolutionary  tornado,  by  which  their 
parent  state  is  desolated,  in  common  with  the  other  Euro 
pean  kingdoms.  The  time  may  not  be  far  distant  when 
a  spirit  of  freedom  and  a  consciousness  of  their  own 
strength,  may  lead  the  people  of  the  south  to  follow  the 
example  of  their  northern  neighbors,  and  establish  their 
independence ;  when  that  time  shall  arrive,  strangers  may 
be  permitted  to  explore  their  country  without  difficulty  or 
restraint.1 

MEXICO  AND  PERU. 

The  books  published  in  both  English  and  Spanish 
America,  till  within  the  last  century,  were,  principally, 
on  religious  subjects.  Perhaps  those  produced  in  the 
British  colonies,  anterior  to  our  revolution,  exceed  in 
number  those  published  in  Mexico  and  Peru ;  but,  from 
the  best  information  I  have  been  able  to  obtain,  it  appears 
they  were  inferior,  in  point  of  magnitude,  to  the  many 
large  and  voluminous  labors  of  the  monks,  on  subjects  of 
devotion  and  scholastic  theology,  that  have  been  printed 
in  the  Spanish  part  of  the  continent.  Besides  books  on 


1  The  above  was  written  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1809.  It  now 
appears  that  the  revolution  I  then  contemplated,  has  been  already 
partially  produced.  New  Spain  becomes  daily  more  practicable  to  the 
researches  of  the  curious  and  learned;  and  we  have  a  pleasing  pro 
spect  that  we  shall  speedily  become  more  intimate ;  and  possibly,  on 
more  friendly  terms  with  these  near  neighbors,  who  have  hitherto  been 
estranged  from  us  by  the  genius  of  their  government. 


6  HISTORY  OF  FEINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

religious  and  devotional  concerns,  many  large  historical 
works,  a  variety  of  dictionaries,  grammars,  etc.,  were  pro 
duced  by  the  presses  of  Spanish  America. 

Notwithstanding  the  press  in  Spanish  America  was  under 
severe  restrictions,  yet  the  books  allowed  to  be  printed, 
together  with  the  works  necessary  for  the  purposes  of 
government,  afforded  it  much  employment;  and,  from 
the  best  information  I  can  procure,  it  appears  that  the 
typographical  performances,  both  in  Mexico  and  Peru, 
were  not  badly  executed. 

Gazettes  have,  for  many  years,  been  published  in  that 
country;  some  say  they  were  printed  before  the  end  of 
the  seventeenth  century ;  that  they  were  so,  in  the  cities 
of  Mexico  and  Lima,  is  not  improbable.  An  excellent 
literary  journal  was  for  some  time  published  in  Lima, 
entitled  Mer curio  Perua7io.1  Dr.  Robertson,  in  his  History 
of  America,  mentions  his  being  furnished  with  the  Gazette 
of  Mexico  for  the  years  1728,  1729,  and  1730,  printed  in 
quarto.  Having  examined  the  contents,  he  observes, 
"  The  Gazette  of  Mexico  is  filled  almost  entirely  with 
accounts  of  religious  functions,  with  descriptions  of  pro 
cessions,  consecrations  of  churches,  beatifications  of  saints, 
festivals,  autos  da  fe,  &c.  Civil  or  commercial  affairs, 
and  even  the  transactions  of  Europe,  occupy  but  a  small 
corner  of  this  monthly  magazine  of  intelligence."  He 
mentions,  also,  that  the  titles  of  new  books  were  regu 
larly  inserted  in  the  Gazette;  whence  it  appeared  that 
two-thirds  of  them  were  treatises  on  religion.2 

A  literary  journal,  entitled  Gazeta  de  Literatura  was  for 
a  long  time  published  in  Mexico,  and  was  continued  in 


1  Mercuric  Peruano  de  Historia,  Literatura  y  Noticias  publicas,  qua  da 
a  la  luz  la  Sociedad  Academica  de  Amantes  de  Lima,  1791-1794.  12  vols.» 
small  4to.—  B. 

3  Robertson's  America,  vol.  ur,  p.  401,  7th  edition,  London. 


MEXICO  AND  PERU.  7 

1760,  by  M.  Alzate,  an  astronomer;  and  in  the  govern 
ment  of  Guatemala,  the  Gazeta  de  Guatemala  was  continued 
in  1800. 

The  press  being  under  the  absolute  control  of  govern 
ment,  we  might  expect  to  find  the  catalogue  of  Spanish 
American  publications  confined  within  narrow  limits ;  but 
the  fact  is,  that  the  works  which  treat  of  religion,  history, 
morals,  and  classical  books,  which  in  that  country  have 
been  printed,  are  numerous.  Even  the  dictionaries  and 
grammars,  for  the  use  of  the  various  nations  of  aborigines 
in  the  Mexican  provinces  only,  excite  our  surprise.  Of 
these  the  Abbe  Clavigero,1  the  historian,  mentions  five 
Mexican  dictionaries  and  twenty  Mexican  grammars ; 
three  Otomi  dictionaries  and  four  grammars;  two  Ta- 
rascan  dictionaries  and  three  grammars;  one  Zapotecan 
dictionary  and  one  grammar;  one  Miztecan  grammar; 
three  Maya  dictionaries  and  three  grammars ;  two  Toto- 
nacan  dictionaries  and  two  grammars;  one  Popolucan 
dictionary  and  one  grammar ;  one  Matlazincan  diction 
ary  and  one  grammar ;  two  Huaxtecan  dictionaries,  and 
two  grammars ;  one  Mixe  dictionary,  and  one  grammar ; 
one  Cakciquel  dictionary,  and  one  grammar;  one  Tara- 
maran  dictionary,  and  two  grammars;  one  Tepehuanan 
dictionary,  and  three  grammars. 

Clavigero  also  mentions  eighty-six  authors  held  in  high 
estimation  by  the  learned ;  thirty-three  of  whom  were 
Creoles,  "  who  have  written  on  the  doctrines  of  Christianity , 
and  on  morality,  in  the  languages  of  New  Spain;"  and  he 
remarks,  "  the  books  published  in  Mexico  on  religion  are 
so  numerous,  that  of  them  alone  might  be  formed  a  large 
library."  Their  works,  and  the  dictionaries  and  grammars 
before  mentioned,  were,  unquestionably,  printed  in  the 


1 A  learned  native  of  New  Spain  who  published  the  history  of  ancient 
Mexico,  and  the  conquest  of  it,  by  the  Spaniards,  in  two  large  volumes, 


quarto. 


8  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

provinces  of  Mexico ;  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  many 
books,  of  the  like  kind,  have  been  published  in  the  exten 
sive  provinces  of  Peru,  in  South  America.1 

Dr.  Robertson  prefixed  to  the  seventh  edition  of  his 
history,  a  list  of  Spanish  books  and  manuscripts,  which  he 
consulted  for  that  work.2 

It  evidently  appears,  that  the  most  voluminous  and 
expensive  works  were  published  by  the  Spaniards;  and 
this  is  not  altogether  strange,  as  they  possessed  by  far  the 
richest  part  of  the  country ;  and  the  settlement  of  the 
southern  part  of  the  continent,  and  of  Mexico,  commenced 
a  century  before  that  of  the  British  colonies. 

SAINT  DOMINGO. 

A  printing  press  was  early  introduced  into  the  Spanish 
part  of  this  island ;  probably  about  the  beginning  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  It  was  seldom  used,  except  for 
printing  the  lists  and  returns,  and  other  papers  for  the 
different  branches  of  the  administration. 

M.  de  St.  Mery,3  in  his  Description  of  the  Spanish 
part  of  St.  Domingo,  informs  us,  that  "  ~No  works  con 
cerning  the  colonies  can  be  printed  in  them,  without  the 
permission  of  the  council  of  the  Indies,  and  it  is  well 
known  that  the  council  is  not  over  fond  of  granting  such 
permissions.  In  the  examination  of  the  vessels  that  arrive, 
strict  search  is  made  after  the  books  proscribed  by  the 


1  See  Squier's  Monograph  of  Central  American  Authors,  1861,  pp.  70. —  M. 
An  excellent  little  volume  by  the  learned  and  reliable  bibliographer, 

Don  Joaquin  Garcia  Icazbalccta,  on  the  subject  of  books  on  the  American 
aboriginal  languages  has  lately  appeared.  It  is  entitled  Apuntcs  para 
un  catdloga  de  Escrilores  en  lenguas  indigenos  de  America.  MEXICO  en  la 
imprenta  particular  del  autor,  18GG.  12mo. —  B. 

2  An  extract  from  Robertson's  list,  which,  with  some  additions,  was  in 
serted  in  the  first  edition,  it  is  not  deemed  expedient  to  reprint. —  II. 

3  M.  de  St.  Mery  lived  at  Cape  Francois,  previous  to  the  destruction  of 
it  by  the  blacks.     In  1798,  he  was  a  bookseller  in  Philadelphia,  and  a 
member  of  the  Philosophical  Society  of  Pennsylvania. 


SPANISH  AMERICA.  9 

inquisition ;  and,  as  the  convent  of  St.  Lawrence  the 
Royal,  has,  in  Spain,  the  exclusive  privilege  of  printing 
religious  books,  the  senior  auditor  is  exclusively  charged 
with  the  causes  that  this  privilege  may  give  rise  to  in  the 
island.  If  a  work  be  printed  at  St.  Domingo,  twenty 
copies  of  it  must  be  delivered  to  the  president,  to  be  sent 
by  him  to  the  council  of  the  Indies,  there  to  be  buried, 
like  every  thing  else  that  is  sent  thither."  l 

In  1790,  the  printing  house  in  the  city  of  St.  Domingo 
stood  in  the  vicinity  of  the  palace  of  the  president,  or 
governor  general,  and  not  far  from  the  ancient  cathedral ; 
which,  with  the  prisons,  and  many  ancient  private  houses, 
form  a  square,  which  is  used  for  a  market  place.  The 
cathedral  was  begun  in  1512,  and  finished  in  1540 ;  and  in 
it  were  interred  the  remains  of  the  celebrated  Christopher 
Columbus,  the  discoverer  of  this  continent,  which  ought  to 
have  borne  his  name.  The  cathedral  also  contained  the 
remains  of  his  brother  Bartholomew,  or  of  Diego,  the  son 


1  Similar  regulations  have  existed  throughout  the  vast  territories  of 
Spain  in  South  and  North  America.  No  book  could  be  printed  without 
permission  from  the  officers  of  the  high  courts  of  the  inquisition  ;  and  no 
books  be  sold,  or  even  read,  on  any  subjects  but  such  as  received 
their  approbation.  Major  Pike  was  employed  by  our  government  to 
explore  the  sources  of  the  Arkansa,  and  the  internal  parts  of  Louisiana, 
when,  on  that  expedition  in  1807,  he  was  taken  prisoner,  with  the  party 
under  his  command,  by  the  Spanish  troops,  and  carried  to  Santa  Fe  in 
New  Mexico,  and  from  thence  to  Chihuahua  in  New  Biscay.  He 
mentions  in  the  appendix  to  his  interesting  journals,  under  the  article, 
lleligion  in  New  Spain,  that  the  officers  of  the  inquisition  "examine 
and  condemn  to  the  flames  all  books  of  a  modern  sentiment,  either 
as  to  religion  or  politics,  and  excommunicate  any  one  in  wThose  hands 
they  may  be  found.  I  recollect,"  continues  the  major,  "to  have  seen 
a  decree  of  theirs  published  in  the  Mexican  Gazette,  condemning  a 
number  of  books  as  heretical  and  contrary  to  the  sacred  principles  of 
the  holy  catholic  church,  and  the  peace  and  durability  of  the  government 
of  his  catholic  majesty,  amongst  which  were  mentioned:  Helvetius  on 
War  ;  J.  J.  Rousseau's  Works  ;  Voltaire's,  Mirabeau's,  and  a  number  of 
others  of  that  description  ;  and  even  at  so  great  a  distance  as  Chihuahua,  a 
Spanish  officer  dared  not  take  Pope's  Essay  on  Man  to  his  quarters,  but 
used  to  come  to  mine  to  read  it." 


10  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

of  Columbus.  The  coffins  which  contained  their  bodies 
were  discovered  in  1783,  when,  in  repairing  the  cathedral, 
part  of  a  thick  wall  was  taken  down.  This  fact  St.  Mery 
mentions  on  good  authority  ;  which  is  corroborated  by  the 
certificates  of  Don  Joseph  Nunez,  dean,  dignitary  of  the 
holy  metropolitan  and  primatial  church  of  the  Indies,  Don 
Manuel  Sanchez,  canon,  dignitary,  &c.,  and  Don  Pedro  de 
Galvez,  preceptor,  canon,  dignitary  of  the  cathedral  church, 
and  primate  of  the  Indies.  These  certificates  are  dated  at 
Santo  Domingo,  April  26,  1783. 

This  part  of  the  island  was  ceded  by  the  king  of  Spain 
to  the  French  in  1795.  The  dust  of  Columbus  was  not, 
however,  suffered  to  remain  in  its  deposit,  subject  to  the 
control  of  the  French  ;  the  leaden  coffin,  with  its  contents, 
was  removed  to  the  Havana,  and  on  the  20th  of  January, 
1796,  with  great  pomp  and  ceremony,  buried  a  third  time. 


FKENCH  AMERICA. 

SAINT  DOMINGO. 

A  royal  printing  house  was  established  in  Port  au  Prince, 
on  the  French  part  of  this  island,  as  early  as  1750,  in  which 
in  1750,  was  printed  an  account  of  a  great  earthquake 
which  happened  at  that  time  in  the  island. 

Among  other  works  permitted  to  be  printed  at  the  king's 
press,  was  a  volume  of  memoirs  of  a  literary  institution  of 
the  colony.  It  was  published  in  1788. 

M.  Mozard  was  a  printer  in  Port  au  Prince  in  1790, 
and  for  some  time  previous  to  that  year.1 


J  M.  Mozard  was  afterwards  appointed  a  consul  for  the  French  republic 
and  resided  in  Boston.  He  brought  with  him  to  Massachusetts  a  valuable 
portable  printing  apparatus,  which  he  had  used  in  Saint  Domingo.  This 
apparatus  consisted  of  a  small  press,  and  several  small  fonts  of  neat  types, 
&c.,  manufactured  in  Paris.  When  he  was  about  leaving  Boston,  he  sold 


SPANISH  AMERICA.  11 

There  was  a  press  in  Cape  Franyois  also  belonging  to 
the  king,  as  early  as  1765,  and  probably  several  years  pre 
ceding.  In  1766  appeared  from  this  press  a  Treatise  on 
Coffee,  giving  its  history  in  ninety  pages. 

Batilliot  &  Co.  printed  at  the  press  of  the  municipality 
in  1790 ;  and  from  this  press  they  issued  in  1793,  the  third 
volume  the  Monitor  General  of  Saint  Domingo. 

Du  Tour  de  Bians  styled  himself  printer  to  the  general 
assembly  of  the  colony  in  1791,  in  the  imprint  to  a 
pamphlet  entitled,  A  Project  of  a  Constitution  for  the  French 
Colonies. 

MARTINICO. 

A  press  was  established  on  this  island,  for  the  use  of 
government,  many  years  preceding  the  revolution  in 
France,  after  which  there  were  several. 


DUTCH  AMERICA. 

SURINAM. 

Printing  was  performed  in  this  colony  at  Paramaribo 
before  the  year  1775. 

The  Dutch  also  introduced  the  press  at  their  islands  of 
Cura9oa  and  Saint  Eustatius. 


PORTUGUESE  AMERICA. 

Printing  has  been  long  practiced  in  the  Portuguese 
settlements  ;  but,  I  believe,  the  press  has  been  kept  almost 
solely  for  the  use  of  the  government.  If  any  literary  pro- 


them  to  John  Mycall,  formerly  a  printer  in  Newburyport,  who  removed 
them  to  Harvard,  county  of  Worcester,  where  I  have  frequently  seen 
them.  They  were  subsequently  in  possession  of  Mycall,  at  Cambridgeport. 


12  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

ductions  were  ever  issued  from  it,  I  am  unacquainted  with 
them. 

From  the  intercourse  between  the  United  States  and 
Brazil,  we  may  hope  to  obtain,  at  no  distant  period,  the 
history  of  printing  in  this  part  of  South  America.1 


1  In  1792,  according  to  Sir  George  Staunton's  account,  there  were  but 
two  booksellers  in  Rio  Janeiro,  and  they  sold  books  on  the  subjects  of 
divinity  and  medicine  only. 


ENGLISH   AMERICA: 


THE   UNITED    STATES 


Introduction  of  the  Art. 

The  early  part  of  the  history  of  the  United  States,  is 
not,  like  that  of  most  other  nations,  blended  with  fable. 
Many  of  the  first  European  settlers  of  this  country  were 
men  of  letters ;  they  made  records  of  events  as  they  passed, 
and  they,  from  the  first,  adopted  effectual  methods  to 
transmit  the  knowledge  of  them  to  their  posterity.  The 
rise  and  progress  of  English  America,  therefore,  from  its 
colonization  to  the  period  at  which  it  took  a  name  and 
place  among  sovereign  and  independent  nations,  may  be 
traced  with  the  clearness  and  certainty  of  authentic  history. 

That  art  which  is  the  preserver  of  all  arts,  is  worthy  of 
the  attention  of  the  learned  and  the  curious.  An  account 
of  the  first  printing  executed  in  the  English  colonies  of 
America,  combines  many  of  the  important  transactions  of 
the  settlement,  as  well  as  many  incidents  interesting  in  the 
revolutions  of  nations ;  and  exhibits  the  pious  and  charita 
ble  efforts  of  our  ancestors  in  New  England,  to  translate  the 
sacred  books  into  a  language  which,  at  this  short  distance 
of  time  is,  probably,  not  spoken  by  an  individual  of  the 
human  race,  and  for  the  use  of  a  nation  l  which  is  now 
virtually  extinct.  Such  is  the  fluctuation  of  human  affairs  ! 


1  Part  of  the  aborigines  of  the  country. 


14  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

The  particulars  respecting  the  printing  and  printers  of 
this  country,  it  is  presumed,  will  gratify  professional  men ; 
and  a  general  history  of  this  nature  will  certainly  preserve 
many  important  facts  which,  in  a  few  years,  would  be 
irrecoverably  lost. 

Among  the  first  settlers  of  New  England  were  not 
only  pious  but  educated  men.  They  emigrated  from 
a  country  where  the  press  had  more  license  than  in 
other  parts  of  Europe,  and  they  were  acquainted  with  the 
usefulness  of  it.  As  soon  as  they  had  made  those  provi 
sions  that  were  necessary  for  their  existence  in  this  land, 
which  was  then  a  rude  wilderness,  their  next  objects  were, 
the  establishment  of  schools,  and  a  printing  press ;  the 
latter  of  which  was  not  tolerated,  till  many  years  after 
ward,  by  the  elder  colony  of  Virginia. 

The  founders  of  the  colony  of  Massachusetts l  consisted 
of  but  a  small  number  of  persons,  who  arrived  at  Salem  in 
1628.2  A  few  more  joined  them  in  1629  ;  and  Governor 
Winthrop,  with  the  addition  of  his  company  of  settlers, 
arrived  in  1630.  These  last  landed  at  the  place  since 
called  Charlestown,  opposite  to  Boston,  where  they  pitched 
their  tents  and  built  a  few  huts  for  shelter.  In  1631,  they 
began  to  settle  Cambridge,  four  miles  from  the  place 
where  they  landed.  They  also  began  a  settlement  on  the 
identical  spot  where  Boston  now  stands.  In  1638,  they 
built  an  academy  at  Cambridge,  which  in  process  of  time 
was  increased  to  a  college :  and  they  also  established 
a  printing  house  in  that  place.  In  January,  1639,  print 
ing  was  first  performed  in  that  part  of  North  America 


1  The  reader  will  observe  that  I  am  here  speaking  of  Massachusetts 
proper,  not  of  the  colony  of  Plymouth,  where  a  settlement  was  made  in 
the  year  1620.     That  colony  has,  however,  long  since  been  incorporated 
into  that  of  Massachusetts. 

2  The  Cape  Anne  fishermen  selected  and  occupied  the  position  of  Salem 
before  the  arrival  of  the  colonists  of  1628. —  II. 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  15 

which  extends  from  the  gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  Frozen 
ocean. 

For  this  press  our  country  is  chiefly  indebted  to  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Glover,  a  nonconformist  minister,  who  possessed  a 
considerable  estate,  and  had  left  his  native  country  with  a 
determination  to  settle  among  his  friends,  who  had  emi 
grated  to  Massachusetts;  because  in  this  wilderness,  he 
could  freely  enjoy,  with  them,  those  opinions  which  were 
not  countenanced  by  the  government  and  a  majority  of  the 
people  in  England. 

Another  press,  with  types,  and  another  printer,  were, 
in  1660,  sent  over  from  England  by  the  corporation  for 
propagating  the  gospel  among  the  Indians  in  New  Eng 
land.  This  press,  &c.,  was  designed  solely  for  the  pur 
pose  of  printing  the  Bible,  and  other  books,  in  the  Indian 
language.  On  their  arrival  they  were  carried  to  Cambridge, 
and  employed  in  the  printing  house  already  established  in 
that  place. 

Notwithstanding  printing  continued  to  be  performed  in 
Cambridge,  from  a  variety  of  causes  it  happened,  that  many 
original  works  were  sent  from  New  England,  Massachu 
setts  in  particular,  to  London,  to  be  printed.  Among  these 
causes  the  principal  were  —  first,  the  press  at  Cambridge 
had,  generally,  full  employment;  secondly,  the  printing 
done  there  was  executed  in  an  inferior  style ;  and,  thirdly, 
many  works  on  controverted  points  of  religion,  were  not 
allowed  to  be  printed  in  this  country.  Hence  it  happened 
that  for  more  than  eighty  years  after  printing  was  first 
practiced  in  the  colony,  manuscripts  were  occasionally  sent 
to  England  for  publication. 

The  fathers  of  Massachusetts  kept  a  watchful  eye  on  the 
press ;  and  in  neither  a  religious  nor  civil  point  of  view, 
were  they  disposed  to  give  it  much  liberty.  Both  the  civil 
and  ecclesiastical  rulers  were  fearful  that  if  it  was  not  under 
wholesome  restraints,  contentions  and  heresies  would  arise 


16  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

among  the  people.  In  1662,  the  government  of  Massa 
chusetts  appointed  licensers  of  the  press ; l  and  afterward, 
in  1664,  passed  a  law  that  "  no  printing  should  be  allowed 
in  any  town  within  the  jurisdiction,  except  in  Cambridge;  " 
nor  should  any  thing  be  printed  there  but  what  the  govern 
ment  permitted  through  the  agency  of  those  persons  who 
were  empowered  for  the  purpose.  Offenders  against  this 
regulation  were  to  forfeit  their  presses  to  the  country,  and 
to  be  disfranchised  of  the  privilege  of  printing  thereafter.2 
In  a  short  time,  this  law  was  so  far  repealed  as  to  permit 
the  use  of  a  press  at  Boston,  and  a  person  was  authorized 
to  conduct  it;  subject,  however,  to  the  licensers  who  were 
appointed  for  the  purpose  of  inspecting  it. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  press,  in  Massachusetts,  was 
free  from  legal  restraints  till  about  the  year  1755.  Hoi- 
yoke's  Almanack,  for  1715,  has,  in  the  title  page,  "Impri 
matur,  J.  Dudley."  A  pamphlet,  printed  in  Boston,  on  the 
subject  of  building  market  houses  in  that  town,  has  the 
addition  of,  "  Imprimatur,  Samuel  Shute,  Boston,  Feb.  19, 
1719."  James  Franklin,  in  1723,  was  ordered  by  the 
government  not  to  publish  The  New  England  Courant, 
without  previously  submitting  its  contents  to  the  secretary 
of  the  province;  and  Daniel  Fowle  was  imprisoned  by 
the  house  of  representatives,  in  1754,  barely  on  suspicion  of 
his  having  printed  a  pamphlet  said  to  contain  reflections 
on  some  members  of  the  general  court.3 

For  several  years  preceding  the  year  1 730,  the  government 
of  Massachusetts  had  been  less  rigid  than  formerly;  and, 
after  that  period,  I  do  not  iind  that  any  officer  is  mentioned 
as  having  a  particular  control  over  the  press.  For  a  long 


'Gen.  Daniel  Gookin,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mitchel,  of  Cambridge,  were 
the  first  appointed  licensers  of  the  press  in  this  country. 

3  See  this  stated  more  at  length  in  the  account  given  of  Samuel  Green, 
printer  at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts. 

3  See  Franklin,  and  Fowle. 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  17 

time,  however,  the  press  appeared  to  be  under  greater  restric 
tions  here  than  in  England;  that  is,  till  toward  the  close  of 
the  seventeenth  century. 

In  the  course  of  this  work  it  will  appear,  that  the  presses 
established  in  other  colonies  were  not  entirely  free  from 
restraint. 

The  rulers  in  the  colony  of  Virginia  in  the  seventeenth 
century,  judged  it  best  not  to  permit  public  schools,  nor 
to  allow  the  use  of  the  press.1  And  thus,  by  keeping  the 
people  in  ignorance,  they  thought  to  render  them  more 
obedient  to  the  laws,  to  prevent  them  from  libelling  the 
government,  and  to  impede  the  growth  of  heresy,  &c. 

The  press  had  become  free  some  years  previous  to  the 
commencement  of  the  revolution  ;  but  it  continued  for  a 
long  time  duly  to  discriminate  between  liberty  and  licen 
tiousness. 

Except  in  Massachusetts,  no  presses  were  set  up  in  the 
colonies  till  near  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
Printing  then  was  performed  in  Pennsylvania,  "  near 
Philadelphia,"  and  afterward  in  that  city,  by  the  same 
press,  which,  in  a  few  years  subsequent,  was  removed  to 
New  York.  The  use  of  types  commenced  in  Virginia 
about  1681 ;  in  1682  the  press  was  prohibited.  In  1709,  a 
press  was  established  at  New  London,  in  Connecticut ; 
and,  from  this  period,  it  was  gradually  introduced  into  the 
other  colonies ;  as  well  as  into  several  of  the  West  India 
islands,  belonging  to  Great  Britain. 

In  1775  the  whole  number  of  printing  houses  in  the 
British  colonies,  now  comprising  the  United  States,  was 
fifty. 

Till  the  year  1760,  it  appears  that  more  books  were 
printed  in  Massachusetts,  annually,  than  in  any  of  the 
other  colonies ;  and,  before  1740,  more  printing  was  done 


1  Chalmers's  Annals,  vol.  i,  p.  32,  and  345. 

2 


18  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

there  than  in  all  the  other  colonies.  After  1760,  the 
quantum  of  printing  done  in  Boston  and  Philadelphia  was 
nearly  equal,  till  the  commencement  of  the  war.  New 
York  produced  some  octavo  and  duodecimo  volumes. 
The  presses  of  Connecticut  were  not  idle  ;  they  furnished 
many  pamphlets  on  various  subjects,  and  some  small 
volumes.  Some  hooks  were  handsomely  printed  in  Vir 
ginia  and  Maryland ;  and  folio  volumes  of  laws,  and  a  few 
octavos  and  duodecimos,  on  religion,  history  and  politics, 
issued  from  the  presses  of  Carolina,  Rhode  Island,  New 
Hampshire,  &c. 

Before  1775,  printing  was  confined  to  the  capitals  of  the 
colonies  ;  but  the  war  occasioned  the  dispersion  of  presses, 
and  many  were  set  up  in  other  towns.  After  the  establish 
ment  of  our  independence,  by  the  peace  of  1783,  presses 
multiplied  very  fast,  not  only  in  seaports,  but  in  all  the 
principal  inland  towns  and  villages. 

Paper-making. 

The  ancient  Mexicans  made  great  use  of  paper.  They 
manufactured  it  from  the  leaves  of  a  genus  of  the  aloe,  or 
the  palm  icxotl,  and  from  the  thin  bark  of  other  trees,  by  a 
process  not  now  known.  They  formed  it  into  sheets  of 
various  dimensions  and  thicknesses,  so  as  to  answer  sundry 
purposes ;  some  of  the  sheets  were  similar,  in  thickness, 
to  the  thin  pasteboard,  and  press  paper  for  clothiers, 
manufactured  in  Europe;  and  some  were  thinner,  but 
softer,  smoother,  and  easy  to  write  on.  The  sheets  were 
generally  made  very  long,  and  were  polished  suitably  for 
the  use  to  which  they  were  intended  to  be  applied.  For 
preservation  they  were  made  up  into  rolls,  or  folded  in  the 
manner  of  bed  screens,  and  thus  formed  into  books.1 


1  Clangero's  History  of  Mexico,  vol.  IT,  p.  219,  Am.  ed. ;  IIumMMs  Essay 
on  New  Spain,  vol.  i,  Am.  ed.,  p.  120. 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  19 

Clavigero,  who  saw  and  handled  specimens  which  were 
preserved  in  Mexico,  informs  us,  that  on  this  kind  of  paper 
the  ancient  Mexicans  painted,  in  beautiful  and  permanent 
colors,  the  representations  of  their  gods,  their  kings,  their 
heroes,  their  animals,  their  plants,  and  whatever  objects 
their  fancy  dictated,  or  circumstances  might  require. 
On  paper  they  delineated,  in  hieroglyphics,  painted  with 
colors  \vhich  were  appropriated  to  the  subject,  "the  sym 
bols  of  their  religion,  accounts  of  remarkable  events,  their 
laws,  their  rites,  their  customs,  their  taxes  or  tributes. 
Some  of  these  paintings  on  paper  were  chronological, 
astronomical,  or  astrological,  in  which  were  represented 
their  calendar,  the  positions  of  the  stars,  eclipses,  changes 
of  the  moon,  prognostications  of  the  variations  of  the 
weather ;  this  kind  of  painting  was  called,  by  them,  tona- 
lamatl.  Other  paintings  were  topographical,  or  chore- 
graphical,  which  served  not  only  to  show  the  extent  and 
boundaries  of  possessions,  but,  likewise,  the  situation 
of  places,  the  direction  of  the  coasts,  and  courses  of  the 
rivers.  The  Mexican  empire  abounded  with  all  these 
kinds  of  paintings  on  paper;  for  their  painters  were  innu 
merable,  and  there  was  hardly  anything  left  unpainted. 
If  these  had  been  preserved,  there  would  have  been  nothing 
wanting  to  explain  the  history  of  Mexico ;  but,  after  the 
conquest  of  the  country  by  the  Spaniards,  the  first 
preachers  of  the  gospel,  suspicious  that  superstition  was 
mixed  with  all  these  paintings,  made  a  furious  destruction 
of  them."1 

Humboldt  mentions  that  "  the  paper  made  by  the 
ancient  Mexicans,  on  which  they  painted  their  hiero- 
glyphical  figures,  was  made  of  the  fibres  of  agave  leaves, 
macerated  in  water,  and  disposed  in  layers  like  the  fibres 
of  the  Egyptian  cyperus,  and  the  mulberry  of  the  South 


Clavigero's  History  cf  Mexico, 


20  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Sea  islands."1  He  mentions  that  he  had  in  his  posses 
sion  "  some  fragments  of  the  ritual  hooks  composed  by 
the  Indians  in  hieroglyphics  at  the  beginning  of  the  con 
quest,  written  on  maguey  paper,  of  a  thickness  so  different 
that  some  of  them  resembled  pasteboard,  while  others 
resembled  Chinese  paper."2 

Paper  similar  to  that  of  Mexico,  it  is  said,  was  made  in 
Peru. 

Clavigero  says  "  the  invention  of  paper  is  certainly 
more  ancient  in  America  than  in  Egypt,  from  whence  it 
was  communicated  to  Europe.  It  is  true  that  the  paper 
of  the  Mexicans  is  not  comparable  with  paper  of  the 
Egyptians,  but  it  ought  to  be  observed  that  the  former  did 
not  make  theirs  for  writing  but  painting." 

In  an  account  of  Pennsylvania  by  Gabriel  Thomas, 
published  in  1698,  he  mentions  "  all  sorts  of  very  good 
paper  are  made  in  the  German  Town."  The  mill  at  which 
this  paper  was  made,  was  the  first  paper  mill  erected  in  the 
British  colonies.  What  was  then  called  the  German  Town,3 
was  afterwards,  and  is  now,  known  by  the  name  of  Ger- 
mantown,  five  miles  distant  from  Philadelphia.4  The  mill 
was  constructed  with  logs.  The  building  covered  a  water 
wheel  set  over  a  small  branch  of  the  Wissahickon.  For 
this  mill  there  was  neither  dam  nor  race.  It  was  built  by 
Nicholas  (or  as  he  was  then  called  Glaus)  Rittenhouse,5 


1  Ilumboldt's  Esuay  on  New  Spain,  vol.  IT,  p.  875. 

*  Ibid.,  vol.  i,  p.  124. 

"This  name  of  the  German  Town  was  not  confined  merely  to  what 
is  now  known  as  Germantown,  but  included  also  Roxborough  township 
at  present  forming  the  Twenty-first  ward  of  Philadelphia. — II.  G.  Jones. 

4  The  first  settlement  of  Germans  is  stated  to  have  been  in  1092.  This 
mill,  from  many  circumstances,  must  have  been  erected  prior  to  that 
period,  and  in  1088,  with  the  log  mill  and  log  house  of  Rittenhouse. 
Nicholas  Rittenhouse,  the  first  paper-maker,  died  in  May,  1784,  aged  08, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  William,  who  was  born  in  1091,  and  died 
in  1774. 

0  Mr.  Thomas  has  fallen  into  error.     The  first  paper-maker  was  not 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  21 

about  the  year  1689,  with  the  assistance  of  William  Brad 
ford,  then  the  only  printer  in  the  colonies  southward  or 
westward  of  New  England,  who  procured  the  tract  of 
land,  then  considered  of  little,  if  any  value,  on  which  the 
log  mill  and  a  log  house  for  Glaus  were  placed.  Bradford 
also  procured  molds  and  other  furniture  for  the  mill. 
Glaus  was  from  Holland,1  and  a  paper-maker  by  trade. 
He  was  only  twenty-one  years  of  age  when  he  arrived  in 
America.  He  was  something  of  a  carpenter,  and  did  the 
chief  of  the  work  of  these  buildings  himself.  This  small 
mill  was  carried  away  by  a  freshet.2  Another  mill  built 


Nicholas  Rittenhouse,  but  William  Rittenhouse,  a  native  of  the  Princi 
pality  of  Broich  in  Holland.  The  mill  was  built  in  the  year  1690,  by  a  com 
pany  composed  of  such  prominent  men  as  Robert  Turner,  Thomas 
Tresse,  William  Bradford,  Samuel  Carpenter,  William  Rittenhouse  and 
others.  The  mill  was  erected  on  a  stream  of  water  which  empties  into 
Wissahickon  creek  about  a  mile  above  its  confluence  with  the  river 
Schuylkill,  in  the  township  of  Roxborough.  This  stream  still  bears  the 
name  of  Paper  mill  run.  The  deed  for  the  land  on  part  of  which  the 
mill  was  erected,  comprising  about  twenty  acres,  is  dated  "  the  Ninth  day 
of  the  Twelfth  month  called  ffebruary,  in  the  ffourth  year  of  the  Reign 
of  Queen  Ann  170£ ,"  and  the  grantee  was  William  Rittenliouse.  This 
deed  recites  that  in  the  year  1690,  it  was  agreed  between  the  said  parties 
"  and  others  that  undertook  to  build  a  paper  mill  upon  the  land"  above 
referred  to,  that  said  Carpenter  should  demise  to  them  the  said  land,  and 
then  proceeds  as  follows  :  "  And  whereas  the  said  paper  mill  was  afterwards 
built,  but  no  Lease  actually  signed  or  executed  according  to  the  said  Agree 
ment."  — //.  G.  J. 

1  Clans,  or  Nicolas,  Rittenhouse  was  born  in  Holland,  June  15,  1666, 
came  to  America  with  his  father,  William  Rittenhouse,  who  settled  in 
Germantown  and  afterwards   removed  to   Roxborough,  where  he  had 
erected  his  paper  mill.    Nicholas  was  a  member  of  the  Mennonist  meeting 
at  Germantown,  and  officiated  as  a  minister  in  that  society. —  Ibid. 

2  This  terrible  calamity  occurred  in  the  year  1700  or  1701,  during  the 
second  visit  of  William  Penn  to  his  colony.    Barton,  in  his  Memoirs  of 
David  Eittejihovse,  pages  83-4,  says  :  "  There  is  now  before  the  writer  a 
paper  in  the  hand  writing  of  the  celebrated  William  Penn,  and  subscribed 
with  his  name,  certifying  that  William  Rittinghausen  and  Claus  his  son, 
then  part  owners  of  the  paper. mill  near  Germantown,  had  recently  sus 
tained  a  very  great  loss  by  a  violent  and  sudden  flood,  which  carried  away 
the  said  mill,  with  a  considerable  quantity  of  paper,  materials  and  tools, 
with  other  things  therein,  whereby  they  were  reduced  to  great  distress ;  and 
therefore  recommending  to  such  persons  as  should  be  disposed  to  lend 


22  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

of  stone  was  erected  near  to  the  spot  where  the  first  mill 
stood.  At  length  this  mill  was  found  to  he  too  small  for 
the  increased  business  of  its  owner,  lie  built  another  of 
stone,  which  was  larger  than  the  one  already  erected. 
This  mill  spot  was  occupied,  and  the  paper-making  busi 
ness  carried  on,  by  the  first  Glaus,  or  Nicholas,  and  his 
descendants,  from  1689  to  1798, l  one  hundred  and  nine 
years,  who  from  time  to  time  made  many  valuable  im 
provements  in  the  mills,  and  in  the  art  of  paper-making. 
Appendix  B. 

From  Glaus,  or  Nicholas  Rittenhouse,2  and  his  brother, 
(Garrett)  who  came  with  him  from  Holland  to  America  in 
1687,  or  1688,  are  descended  all  of  that  name  now  in 
Pennsylvania  or  Xew  Jersey.  The  late  David  Ritten 
house,  the  philosopher  of  Pennsylvania,  was  the  grand 
son  of  Glaus,  the  first  manufacturer  of  paper  in  British 
America. 


them  aid,  to  give  the  sufferers  '  relief  and  encouragement,  in  their  needful 
and  commendable  employment,'  as  they  were  '  desirous  to  set  up  the  paper 
mill  again.'  " 

The  Rittenhouses  rebuilt  the  mill  in  1702,  and  on  the  tfOth  of  June, 
1704,  William  Rittenhouse  became  the  sole  owner  of  the  mill,  and  in  1705, 
secured  the  land  from  Samuel  Carpenter  on  a  lease  for  975  years. — 11.  G.  J. 

1  William  Rittenhouse,  the  tirst  paper  maker  in  America,  died  in  the 
year  1708,  aged  about  64  years.     Shortly  before  his  death  he  gave  his 
share  in  the  paper  mill  to  his  son  Nicholas,  who  curried  on  the  business 
until  May,  1734,  when  he  died.     He  deeded  the  paper  mill  to  his  oldest 
son  William  Rittenhouse,  and  when  he  died  the  mill  property  fell  to  his 
son  Jacob  Rittenhouse,  also  a  paper-maker,  who  carried  on  the  business, 
and  died  in  1811.     The  mill  was  erected  by  a  family  named  Markle,  who 
continued  to  manufacture  paper   there  for  many  years.      So    that   the 
paper-making  business  was  carried  on  by  the  same  family  for  a  period  of 
one  hundred  and  ttcenty-one  yearn  at  the  same  place. —  Ibid. 

2  It  was  not  Nicholas  but  William  Rittenhouse  who  was  the  progenitor 
of  the  family  in  America.     He  arrived  here  about  1088,  and  settled  in 
Germantown.     lie  had  only  two  sons,  Nicholas  or  Clans,  and  Garrett  or 
Gerhard,  and  a  daughter  Eli/abeth  who  married  Ileiver  Papen.    Nicholas 
married  Wilhelmina  De   Wees,  a  sister  of  William  De  Wees  of  Ger 
mantown.     Garrett  resided  at  Cresheim,  a  part  of  Germantown,  and  was 
a  miller. —  Ibid. 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  23 

The  second  establishment  of  a  paper  mill  erected  in 
Pennsylvania,  or  in  British  America,  was  built  with  brick 
on  the  west  branch  of  Chester  creek,  Delaware  county, 
twenty  miles  distant  from  Philadelphia,  by  Thomas  Wilcox, 
who  was  born  in  England,  and  there  brought  up  to  paper- 
making.1  Wilcox  came  to  America  about  the  year  1712, 
and  applied  to  Kittenhouse  for  employment,  but  could  not 
obtain  it,  as  but  little  business  was  then  done  at  the  mill. 
For  fourteen  years  Wilcox  followed  other  business,  and  by 
his  industry  and  economy  he  acquired  and  laid  up  a  small 
sum  of  money,  when  in  1726,  he  erected  a  small  paper  mill, 
and  began  to  make  fuller's  boards.  He  continued  this 
business  fourteen  years  without  manufacturing  either  writ 
ing  or  printing  paper.  He  gave  up  his  mill  to  his  son 
Mark  in  1767.  Wilcox  the  father  died  November  11, 
1779,  aged  ninety.2 

The  paper-making  business  was  carried  on  in  1815, 
by  the  sons  of  Mark,  who  was  then  living  aged  seventy. 
He  made  the  paper  for  the  bills  issued  by  congress  during 
the  revolutionary  war;  for  the  bills  of  the  first  bank 
established  in  Philadelphia;  for  many  other  banks  and 


'The  second  paper  mill  in  America  was  not  that  of  Thomas  Wilcox. 
Dr.  George  Smith,  in  his  History  of  Delaware  County,  Pa.,  says,  that  "the 
old  Ivy  Mill  of  Wilcox  was  not  erected  until  the  year  1729,  or  very  shortly 
afterwards."  He  claims  that  it  was  the  second  place  at  which  paper  was 
manufactured  in  Pennsylvania.  But  this  is  an  error.  The  second  paper 
mill  In  America  was  erected  by  another  settler  of  Germantown  named 
William  De  Wees,  who  was  a  brother-in-law  of  Nicholas  Rittenhouse, 
and,  as  Mr.  Thomas  says,  had  been  an  apprentice  at  the  Rittenhouse  mill. 
This  second  mill  was  built  in  the  year  1710,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Wissahickon  creek  in  that  part  of  Germantown  known  in  early  times  as 
Crefdd,  near  the  line  of  the  present  Montgomery  county.  I  have  seen 
papers  which  show  that  this  mill  was  in  full  and  active  operation  in  that 
year  and  in  1713.—  H.  G.  J. 

2  The  first  purchase  of  land  that  Thomas  Wilcox  made  for  his  mill 
seat  was  from  the  proprietors  of  Pennsylvania.  The  additional  piece  for 
his  dam  he  agreed  for  at  one  shilling  sterling  a  year  forever.  This  seems, 
at  the  present  time,  to  have  been  a  small  compensation  ;  but  lands  were 


24  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

public  offices.  He  was  undoubtedly  the  first  who  made 
good  paper  in  the  United  States.  In  1770  he  was  ap 
pointed  associate  judge  for  Delaware  county. 

The  third  paper  mill  establishment  in  Pennsylvania  was 
erected  by  William  De  "Wees  and  John  Gorgas,  who  had 
been  the  apprentices  of  Rittenhouse.  Their  mill  was  on 
the  Wissahickon  creek,  eleven  miles  from  Philadelphia, 
and  built  in  1728.  They  manufactured  an  imitation  of 
asses  skin  paper  for  memorandum  books,  which  was  well 
executed.1 

The  fourth  mill  was  also  on  the  Wissahickon,  nine 
miles  from  Philadelphia,  built  by  William  De  Wees,  Jr., 
about  1736. 

The  fifth  was  erected  by  Christopher  Sower,  the  first  of 
the  name,  about  the  year  1744,  on  a  branch  of  Frankford 
creek.  This  was  on  the  lower  end  of  his  land. 

The  improvements  in  paper-making  at  Wilcox's  and 
other  mills  in  Pennsylvania,  were  principally  owing  to  an 
Englishman  by  the  name  of  John  Readen.  He  was  a  man 
of  great  professional  ingenuity,  and  a  first  rate  workman. 
He  had  indented  himself  to  the  master  of  the  vessel  who 
brought  him  from  Europe.  Wilcox  redeemed  him,  and 
employed  him  several  years.  He  died  in  1806,  aged  sixty. 

Engines  were  not  used  in  the  American  paper  mills  before 
1756 ;  until  then,  rags  for  making  paper  were  pounded. 


then  plenty,  and  money  scarce.  Lands  were  leased  out  at  one  penny  an 
acre ;  but  this  price  was  thought  high.  Quantities  of  land  were  after 
wards  taken  up  at  one  shilling  sterling  for  every  hundred  acres.  The 
state,  about  the  commencement  of  the  revolution,  bought  out  the  quit 
rents  from  the  proprietors  for  £30,000,  but  the  proprietors  still  retain  the 
manors. 

^John  Brighter,  an  aged  paper-maker,  who  conducted  a  mill  for  more 
than  half  a  century  ill-Pennsylvania,  and  who  gave  this  account,  observed 
that  this  kind  of  paper  was  made  out  of  rotten  stone,  which  is  found 
in  several  places  near  and  to  the  northward  of  Philadelphia,  and  that 
the  method  of  cleansing  this  paper  was  to  throw  it  in  the  lire  for  a  short 
time,  when  it  was  taken  out  perfectly  fair. 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  25 

There  were  several  paper  mills  in  New  England,  and 
two  or  three  in  New  York,  before  the  revolution. 

About  the  year  1730,  an  enterprising  bookseller  in 
Boston,  having  petitioned  for,  and  received  some  aid 
from  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts,1  erected  a  paper  mill, 
which  was  the  first  set  up  in  that  colony.  After  1775, 
paper  mills  increased  rapidly,  in  all  parts  of  the  Union. 

Paper  Mills. 

My  endeavors  to  obtain  an  accurate  account  of  the 
paper  mills  in  the  United  States,  have  not  succeeded 
agreeably  to  my  wishes,  as  I  am  not  enabled  to  procure  a 
complete  list  of  the  mills,  and  the  quantity  of  paper 
manufactured  in  all  the  states.  I  have  not  received  any 
particulars  that  can  be  relied  on  from  some  of  the  states ; 
but  I  believe  the  following  statement  will  come  near  the 
truth.  From  the  information  I  have  collected  it  appears 
that  the  mills  for  manufacturing  paper,  are  in  number 
about  one  hundred  and  eighty-five,  viz :  in  New  Hamp 
shire,  7 ;  Massachusetts,  40 ;  Rhode  Island,  4 ;  Connec 
ticut,  17;  Vermont,  9;  New  York,  12;  Delaware,  10; 
Maryland,  3;  Virginia,  4;  South  Carolina,  1;  Kentucky, 
6;  Tennessee,  4;  Pennsylvania,  about  60;  in  all  the 
other  states  and  territories,  say  18.  Total  195,  in  the  year 
1810. 

At  these  mills  it  may  be  estimated  that  there  are  manu 
factured  annually  50,000  reams  of  paper  which  is  consumed 
in  the  publication  of  22,500,000  newspapers.  This  kind 
of  paper  is  at  various  prices  according  to  the  quality  and 
size,  and  will  average  three  dollars  per  ream ;  at  which, 
this  quantity  will  amount  to  150,000  dollars.  The  weight 
of  the  paper  will  be  about  500  tons. 


1  Daniel  Henchman.     He  produced  in   1731,  to   the  General  court,  a 
sample  of  paper  made  at  his  mill. 


26  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

The  paper  manufactured,  and  used,  for  book  printing, 
may  be  calculated  at  about  70,000  reams  per  annum,  a 
considerable  part  of  which  is  used  for  spelling,  and  other 
small  school  books.  This  paper  is  also  of  various  qualities 
and  prices,  of  which  the  average  may  be  three  dollars  and 
a  half  per  ream,  and  at  that  price  it  will  amount  to  245,000 
dollars,  and  may  weigh  about  630  tons. 

Of  writing  paper,  supposing  each  mill  should  make  600 
reams  per  annum,  it  will  amount  to  111,000  reams;  which 
at  the  average  price  of  three  dollars  per  ream,  will  be 
equal  in  value  to  333,000  dollars,  and  the  weight  of  it 
will  be  about  650  tons.1 

Of  wrapping  paper  the  quantity  made  maybe  computed 
at  least  at  100,000  reams,  which  will  amount  to  about 
83,000  dollars. 

Beside  the  preceding  articles,  of  paper  for  hangings, 
for  clothiers,  for  cards,  bonnets,  cartridge  paper,  paste 
boards,  &c.,  a  sufficient  quantity  is  made  for  home  con 
sumption. 

Most  of  the  mills  in  New  England  have  two  vats  each. 
Some  in  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware  and  Mary 
land,  have  three  or  more  —  those  with  two  vats  can  make, 
of  various  descriptions  of  paper,  from  2,000  to  3,000  reams 
per  annum.  A  mill  with  two  vats  requires  a  capital  of 
about  10,000  dollars,  and  employs  twelve  or  more  persons, 
consisting  of  men,  boys  and  girls.  Collecting  rags,  mak 
ing  paper,  &c.,  may  be  said  to  give  employment  to  not  less 
than  2,500  persons  in  the  United  States. 


1  Some  of  the  mills  are  known  to  make  upwards  of  3,000  reams  of  writ 
ing  paper  per  annum;  a  few  do  not  make  any;  but  there  are  not  many 
that  make  less  than  500  reams.  The  quantity  of  rags,  old  sails,  ropes, 
junk,  and  other  substances  of  which  various  kinds  of  paper  and  paste 
boards  are  made,  may  be  computed  to  amount  to  not  less  than  three 
thousand  five  hundred  tons  yearly. 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  27 


Type  Founderies. 

An  attempt  was  made  to  establish  a  foundery  for  casting 
types  in  Boston  about  1768,  by  a  Mr.  Mitchelson  from 
Scotland,  but  he  did  not  succeed. 

In  1769,  Abel  Buel  of  Killingworth  in  Connecticut,  who 
was  a  skillful  jeweller  and  goldsmith,  began  a  type  foundery, 
without  any  other  aid  than  his  own  ingenuity,  and  perhaps 
some  assistance  he  derived  from  books.  In  the  course  of 
a  few  years  he  completed  several  fonts  of  long  primer, 
which  were  tolerably  well  executed,  and  some  persons  in 
the  trade  made  use  of  them. 

The  first  regular  foundery  was  established  at  German- 
town,  Pennsylvania,  in  1772,  by  Christopher  Sower,  the 
second  of  that  name.  All  the  implements  for  this  foundery 
were  imported  from  Germany,  and  intended  solely  for 
casting  German  types.  It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that 
the  first  establishments  for  paper  making  and  type  found 
ing  in  the  English  colonies,  should  be  in  this  place.  The 
interval  between  the  two  establishments  was  eighty-four 
years.  Sower's  first  object  in  setting  up  the  foundery  was 
to  cast  pica  types  for  a  quarto  edition  of  the  German  Bible. 
His  father  had,  many  years  before,  printed  an  edition  on 
long  primer,  and  the  son  had  printed  another  on  pica. 
This  was  for  a  third  edition,  and  it  was  his  intention  to  cast 
a  sutficiency  of  types  to  keep  the  whole  work  standing. 

When  the  materials  for  this  foundery  arrived  from 
Germany,  they  were  placed  by  Sower  in  a  house  opposite 
to  his  printing  house,  and  committed  to  the  care  and 
management  of  one  of  his  workmen,  who,  although  not  a 
type  founder,  was  very  ingenious.  This  workman  was 
named  Justus  Fox,  born  in  1736,  at  Manheim,  Germany, 
where  he  received  a  good  education.  After  his  arrival 
in  America  he  served  as  an  apprentice  with  Sower,  and  was 


28  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

by  him  employed  in  various  occupations.  Fox  is  said  to 
have  been  a  farrier,  an  apothecary,  a  bleeder  and  cupper,  a 
dentist,  an  engraver,  a  cutler,  a  tanner,  a  lamp-black  maker, 
a  physician,  a  maker  of  printing  ink,  and  a  type  founder. 
At  most  of  these  pursuits  he  was  a  proficient. 

The  molds  of  this  foundery,  and  some  other  implements, 
were  found  to  be  very  imperfect ;  but  Fox  set  himself  at 
work,  cut  a  number  of  new  punches,  supplied  all  deficien 
cies,  and  put  the  whole  in  order  for  casting.  The  first 
font  that  was  cast  was  a  German  pica  for  the  Bible.  After 
wards  Fox  cut  the  punches  for  roman  and  italics  of  several 
sizes,  for  English  works.  Fox  acquired  the  art  of  mixing 
metal.  His  types  were  very  durable. 

As  the  materials  which  composed  this  foundery  remained 
in  the  possession  of  Fox  they  were  thought  to  be  his  pro 
perty,  and  therefore  escaped  seizure  when  all  the  other 
property  of  Sower  was  confiscated.  Afterwards,  in  1784, 
Fox  purchased  them,  and  continued  the  business  somewhat 
extensively  in  partnership  with  his  son  for  nine  years; 
after  which  Fox  conducted  the  business  till  he  died,  which 
was  on  the  twenty-sixth  of  January,  1805,  aged  seventy 
years. 

Fox  was  a  man  of  pleasing  manners,  and  his  character 
was  in  conformity  with  his  name,  Justus.  He  was  of 
the  sect  of  Tunkers;  humorous,  also  very  pious,  exem 
plary,  humane  and  charitable.  He  acquired  a  hand 
some  property.  He  had  but  one  child  whom  he  named 
Emanuel. 

The  year  after  Fox  died,  his  son  sold  the  foundery 
to  Samuel  Sower,  a  son  of  the  unfortunate  Christopher, 
junior  (or  second),  the  first  owner.  Samuel  Sower  had 
previously  begun  a  foundery  in  Baltimore,  and  in  1815, 
continued  the  business  in  that  city. 

The  second  type  foundery  was  also  established  in  Ger- 
mantown,  by  Jacob  Bay,  a  man  of  great  ingenuity,  born 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  29 

near  Basil,  in  Switzerland.  He  was  brought  up  to  silk 
weaving.  He  came  to  Philadelphia  in  1771.  In  this 
place  he  worked  for  a  short  time  at  calico  printing,  and 
then  was  engaged  by  Sower  to  work  in  his  foundery  in 
Germantown  as  an  assistant  to  Fox.  After  being  two 
years  in  this  foundery,  he  began  business  for  himself  in 
a  small  house  not  far  from  Sower.  He  made  all  the 
apparatus  for  his  foundery  himself.  The  punches  which 
he  cut  were  for  roman  and  italic  types  of  the  sizes  of  pica, 
long  primer,  and  bourgeois.  He  cast  for  Sower  a  font 
of  German  faced  bourgeois  for  the  whole  of  the  German 
Hymn  Book  of  four  hundred  octavo  pages,  which  Sower 
kept  standing. 

He  bought  a  house  and  removed  to  it,  and  continued 
the  business  of  type-making  in  Germantown,  till  1789. 
During  the  time  he  removed  his  foundery  to  other  parts  of 
the  town.  At  length  he  sold  all  his  material  to  Francis 
Bailey,  a  printer,  who  made  use  of  it  chiefly  for  a  supply 
of  types  for  himself.  Bay  then  commenced  diaper  weaving, 
removed  to  Frankford,  and  then  to  Philadelphia.  Bay's 
ingenuity  has  been  exceeded  by  very  few.  He  was  at  any 
time  able,  without  a  model  before  him,  to  construct,  by 
the  aid  of  his  memory,  any  machine  he  had  ever  seen, 
however  complicated.  Among  his  weaving  machines  was 
a  loom  with  six  shackles.  A  patent  for  one  of  the  same 
kind  has  since  been  obtained  as  a  new  invention,  and  the 
right  to  use  it  sold  in  several  places,  at  a  high  price.  But 
he  was  poor,  the  fate  of  many  ingenious  men.  He  engaged 
at  the  mint  as  an  engraver,  and  about  six  months  after 
fell  a  victim  to  the  yellow  fever  which  prevailed  in  Phila 
delphia  in  1793,  aged  54. 

Dr.  Franklin  was  desirous  of  establishing  in  Phila 
delphia  a  more  extensive  type  foundery  than  either  of 
those  just  mentioned.  For  this  purpose,  he  purchased  in 
Paris,  of  P.  S.  Fournier,  the  materials  of  an  old  foundery. 


30  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Founder  was  a  type  founder,  and  B.  F.  Bache,  Franklin's 
grandson,  resided  sometime  with  him  for  instruction  in 
this  art,  and  that  he  might  otherwise  be  qualified  for 
managing  the  foundery  in  Philadephia.     Franklin   and 
his  grandson  arrived  in  Philadelphia  in  1775,  soon  after 
the  revolutionary  war  commenced,  and  Bache  set  up  his 
foundery   in  Franklin   court,   Market   street,   where   his 
grandfather    resided.      Although   the   materials   of   this 
foundery  enabled  the  proprietor  to  make  Greek,  Hebrew, 
Roman,  and  all  other  kinds  of  types  in  use  in  Europe  or 
America,  the  foundery   was   but   little   employed.      The 
implements  for  making  roman  and  italic  types,  especially, 
would  not  produce  handsome  specimens.     This  difficulty 
was  in  some  sort  removed  by  means  of  a  German  artist, 
named  Frederick  Geiger.     This  person  was  a  mathematical 
instrument  maker.     He  came  from  Germany  to  Philadel 
phia,  like  thousands  of  others  who  were  called  Redemp- 
tioners.     Franklin  paid  for  his  passage,  and  placed  him  in 
his  foundery.     He  cut  a  number  of  punches,  and  made 
great  proficiency  as  a  type  maker,  and  in  the  improve 
ment  of  the   foundery.     Geiger,  after  serving  the   time 
stipulated  for  his  redemption,  was,  in  1794,  employed  in 
the  mint ;  but  quitting  the  mint,  he  plodded  a  long  time  on 
perpetual  motion.     He  appeared  confident  of  success,  and 
anticipated  receiving  the  promised   reward   for  this   dis 
covery.     Disappointed  in  this,  he  next  applied  himself  to 
finding  out  the  longitude  by  lunar  observations.     He  was 
allured  to  this  study  by  the  great  bounty  which  he  who 
should   be   successful   was   to   receive  from   the   British 
government.     But,  unfortunately,  perpetual  motion  caused 
an  irregular  motion  of  his  brains,  and  his  observations  of 
the  moon  caused  lunacy.     He  was  eventually  confined  in 
the  cells  of  the  Philadelphia  almshouse. 

The  foundery    was   neglected,    and  Bache   turned  his 
attention  to  printing. 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  31 

The  fourth  establishment  of  this  kind  was  that  belong- 

o 

ing  to  the  Messrs.  Baine,  the  grandfather  and  grandson, 
from  Scotland.  They  settled  in  Philadelphia  by  advice 
of  Young  &  McCullock,  printers  in  that  city,  about  the 
year  1785.  Bayne,  the  senior,  possessed  a  great  mechanical 
genius.  His  knowledge  in  type  founding  was  the  effect 
of  his  own  industry,  for  he  was  self-taught.  He,  it  is  said, 
communicated  to  the  celebrated  Wilson  of  Glasgow  the 
first  insight  into  the  business,  and  they  together  set  up  a 
foundery  in  Glasgow.  They  soon  after  separated,  and 
Baine  went  to  Dublin,  where  he  established  a  foundery. 
He  removed  thence  to  Edinburgh,  and  commenced  a  type 
foundery  in  that  city.  Thence  with  his  grandson  he  came 
with  all  his  materials  to  America.  They  were  good  work 
men,  and  had  full  employment.  The  types  for  the  Ency 
clopedia,  which  was  completed  some  years  ago  from  the 
press  of  Dobson  in  Philadelphia,  were  made  by  them. 
The  elder  Baine  died  in  August,  1790,  aged  seventy-seven. 
He  was  seventy-two  years  of  age  when  he  arrived  in 
America.  His  grandson  relinquished  the  business  soon 
after  the  death  of  his  grandfather.  He  removed  from 
Philadelphia,  and  died  at  Augusta  in  Georgia,  about  the 
year  1799. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  troubles  occasioned  by  the 
Prussians,  under  the  Duke  of  Brunswick,  entering  Hol 
land  for  the  purpose  of  reforming  the  stadtholdership, 
an  ingenious  type  founder,  Adam  G.  Mapper,  left  that 
country,  and  took  with  him  the  whole  apparatus  of  his 
foundery,  and  came  to  Xew  York,  where  he  began  busi 
ness.1  His  foundery  was  designed  principally  for  making 
Dutch  and  German  types,  the  casts  of  which  were  hand 
some.  Those  for  roman  were  but  ordinary.  He  soon  left 


1  He  was  a  Dutch  patriot,  lost  most  of  his  property,  and  was  obliged  for 
safety  to  leave  his  country. 


32  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

type  making  for  other  employment,  and  was  concerned  in 
the  Holland  Land  Company. 

There  were,  in  1830,  eight  or  more  type  founderies  in 
the  United  States.  One  was  established  in  Philadelphia, 
by  Binney  &  Ronaldson,  in  1796.  They  were  from  Scot 
land.  They  had  to  encounter  many  difficulties  before 
they  could  succeed  in  obtaining  a  permanency  to  their 
establishment,  but  by  perseverance  and  industry  over 
came  them,  and  made  valuable  improvements  in  their  art. 
Their  foundery  produced  types  equal  in  beauty  to  those  of 
any  foundery  in  Europe,  and  was  said  to  excel  them  all 
in  the  economy  of  operation. 

Samuel  Sower  and  Co.,  of  Baltimore,  had  a  somewhat 
extensive  foundery.  Sower  cut  the  punches,  and  cast  both 
roman  and  italics  for  a  font  of  diamond  types,  on  which 
has  been  printed,  in  that  city,  an  edition  of  the  Bible.  An 
italic  to  this  smallest  of  types  has  not  been,  until  very 
recently,  attempted  in  Europe. 

Stereotype  Printing. 

About  the  year  1775,  an  attempt  at  stereotype  printing 
was  made  by  Benjamin  Mecom,  printer,  nephew  of  Dr. 
Franklin.1  He  cast  the  plates  for  a  number  of  pages  of  the 
New  Testament ;  but  never  completed  them.  I  shall  have 
occasion  to  mention  Mecom,  in  the  course  of  this  work, 
several  times.  He  was  skillful,  but  not  successful.  Stereo 
typing  is  now  very  common  in  the  United  States,  and  is 
well  executed. 

The  ingenious  Jacob  Perkins,  of  Newburyport,  Massa 
chusetts,  invented  a  new  kind  of  stereotype,  for  impressing 


1  In  1743,  Dr.  C.  Golden  explained  to  Franklin  a  process  of  stereotyping, 
which  was  published  in  the  American  Med.  and  Phil.  Register,  vol.  I, 
1810.  The  Larger  Catechism  of  the  Westminster  Assembly,  stereotyped  and 
printed  by  J.  Watt  &  Co.,  of  New  York,  in  June,  1813,  claims  upon  its 
title  page  to  have  been  the  first  work  stereotyped  in  America.—  M. 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  33 

copper  and  other  plates.  From  plates  so  impressed  most 
of  the  bank  bills  of  Massachusetts  and  NQW  Hampshire 
were  printed  at  rolling  presses,  and  were  called  stereo 
typed  bills. 

Engraving. 

Man  in  his  primeval  state  discovered  a  propensity  to 
represent,  by  figures,  on  various  substances,  the  animated 
works  of  his  Creator.  From  sketching,  painting,  or  en 
graving  these  images,  or  representations,  on  the  surface  of 
those  substances,  he  proceeded  to  the  business  of  the 
sculptor  or  statuary,  and  produced  all  the  features  and 
proportions  of  men,  and  the  other  various  descriptions  of 
the  animal  creation,  in  wood  and  stone. 

The  invention  of  hieroglyphics  has  been  generally  attri 
buted  to  the  priests  of  ancient  Egypt,  who  made  use  of 
them  to  convey  the  knowledge  they  possessed  of  the 
mysteries  of  nature,  and  the  secrets  of  their  morality  and 
history,  to  their  successors  in  the  priesthood,  without  dis 
covering  them  to  the  vulgar;  but  Dr.  "Warburton,  who 
appears  to  have  been  well  acquainted  with  the  subject 
of  hieroglyphic  engravings,  although  his  knowledge  of 
coins  and  medals  was  questioned  by  Pinkerton,  has,  with 
great  ingenuity,  shown,  that  hieroglyphics  were  not  the 
invention  of  Egyptian  priests.1  He  remarks,  that  "  the 
general  concurrence  of  different  nations  in  this  method  of 
recording  their  thoughts,  can.  never  be  supposed  to  be  the 
effect  of  imitation,  sinister  views,  or  chance ;  but  must  be 
considered  as  the  uniform  voice  of  nature,  speaking  to  the 
rude  conceptions  of  mankind  ;  for,  not  only  the  Chinese  of 
the  east,  the  Americans  of  the  west,  the  Egyptians  of  the 
south,  but  the  Scythians,  likewise,  of  the  north,  and  the 
intermediate  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  viz  :  the  Phrcnicians, 


1  See  Warfwrtoris  Works. 
3 


34  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

the  Ethiopians,  the  natives  of  India,  etc.,  used  the  same 
methods  of  hieroglyphic  and  picture." 

The  American  continent  is  not  destitute  of  vestiges  of 
ancient  engraving.  Long  before  the  discovery  of  America 
by  Columbus,  we  are  told,  the  Mexicans  made  money 
of  tin  and  copper,  which  was  stamped  by  the  authority 
of  their  sovereigns  and  feudal  lords.1  They  were  ac 
quainted  with  the  arts  of  sculpture  and  engraving;  and, 
Francois  Coreal  says,  that  the  ornaments  of  the  doors 
of  the  temple  of  the  sun,  in  Peru,  were  formed  of  jasper 
and  granite,  and  were  sculptured  in  birds,  quadrupeds, 
and  animals  of  imaginary  being,  such  as  the  sphinx,  etc., 
and  in  the  most  exquisite  manner.  Don  Ulloa  gives  an 
account  of  vases  dug  up  in  South  America,  which  have 
figures  designed  upon  them,  completely  in  the  Etruscan 
taste,  formed  of  earth,  or  composition,  which,  like  the  old 
Etruscan,  is  now  nowhere  to  be  found.  They  were  red, 
black,  and  extremely  light,  and  sometimes  had  the  figures 
in  relief.  What  is  very  remarkable  is,  that,  like  the 
Etruscan  vases,  they  have  been  discovered  in  no  other 
places  than  sepulchres. 

The  Mexicans  had  learned  to  express  in  their  statues 
"  all  the  attitudes  and  postures  of  which  the  human  body  is 
capable ;  they  observed  the  proportions  exactly,  and  could, 
when  necessary,  execute  the  most  delicate  and  minute 
strokes  "  with  their  chisels  of  flint,  or  of  hardened  copper.1 
They  excelled  in  the  art  of  founding  and  casting,  with  the 
precious  metals,  the  most  perfect  images  of  natural  bodies. 
They  were  expert  lapidaries,  and  knew  how  to  form  gems 
into  such  shapes  and  figures  as  fancy  dictated;  and  to 
finish  them  with  an  exquisite  polish.  Among  their  pre 
cious  stones  were  the  emerald,  amethyst,  cornelian,  tur 
quoise,  and  some  which  were  unknown  in  Europe.  They 


1  Clauyero's  History  of  Mexico. 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  35 

set  these  stones  in  gold,  and  in  silver,  wrought  in  a  very 
skilful  manner,  and  rendered  of  great  value.  Condamine 
and  Clavigero  were  both  astonished  at  the  industry  and 
patience  with  which  they  must  have  worked  in  marble. 
They  were  workmen  in  linen  and  cloth  of  various  descrip 
tions,  as  well  as  painters  and  engravers.  The  specimens  of 
their  art,  which  were  carried  to  Europe  by  Cortes,  and 
others  who  visited  the  country,  were  found  to  be  nearly 
inimitable  by  the  most  expert  artists  of  the  old  world. 
Their  copper  instruments  and  weapons  they  hardened  to  a 
temper  which  was  equal  to  that  of  steel;  an  art  which 
the  Greeks  and  Romans  possessed  to  the  time  of  the  taking 
of  Constantinople,  by  Mahomet  II.1 

The  United  States  also  contain  several  vestiges  of  en 
graving,  by  the  rude  hands  of  the  aborigines.  Thus  we 
find  that  there  is  hardly  any  inhabited  part  of  the  world, 
which  did  not,  before  it  became  civilized,  produce  some 
specimens  of  engraving. 

The  modern  European  art  of  engraving  was  not  greatly 
encouraged  in  America  before  the  revolution,  and  the 
artists  did  not  appear  to  possess  first  rate  abilities. 

Printing  Presses. 

The  printing  presses  made  use  of  in  the  English  colo 
nies,  before  the  revolution,  were,  generally,  imported  from 
England,  but  some  were  manufactured  in  the  country. 
Christopher  Sower,  Jr.,  had  his  printing  presses  made 
under  his  own  inspection,  in  Germantown,  as  early  as 
1750. 

After  1775,  good  presses  were  made  in  many  of  the 
capital  towns  in  the  United  States,  particularly  in  Phila 
delphia,  and  in  Hartford,  Connecticut.  Some  of  these 
presses  underwent  several  partial  alterations  in  their 


Allowance  must  be  made  for  exasperation  in  these  statements. —  H. 


36  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

machinery,  but  no  essential  change  in  the  construction 
was  made  from  the  common  English  printing  press.1  A 
few  were  contrived  to  perform  the  operation  of  printing  in 
a  different  manner  from  that  press,  but  these  were  not 
found  to  be  useful. 

Some  years  since,  Dr.  Kinsley,  of  Connecticut,  who  pos 
sessed  great  mechanical  ingenuity,  produced,  among  other 
inventions,  a  model  of  a  cylindrical  letter  press.  It  was  a 
subject  of  much  conversation  among  printers,  but  was  never 
brought  into  use.  The  invention,  however,  did  not  ori 
ginate  with  Kinsley. 2  Cylindrical  letter  presses  were  in 
vented  in  1789,  by  William  Nicholson,  of  London,  who 
obtained  a  patent  for  them  in  1790.  Kinsley's  model 
was  from  Nicholson's  plan,  with  some  variation.  Nicholson 


1  This  remark  seems  hardly  just  in  respect  to  the  presses  of  Adain 
Ramage,  unless  intended  to  apply  to  presses  made  previous  to  the  revolu 
tion.     It  is  true  that  from  Moxon's  time  in  1683,  the  English  had  made  no 
change  in  the  screw  of  the  common  book  press,  which  was  uniformly  two 
and  a  quarter  inches  in  diameter,  with  a  descent  of  two  and  a  half  inches  in 
a  revolution.    The  diameter  was  even  smaller  in  job  presses,  but  the  same 
fall  was  always  maintained,  by  wThich  the  platen  was  made  to  rise  and 
fall  five-eighths  of  an  inch  in  a  quarter  of  a  revolution  ;  a  space  deemed 
necessary  for  the  free  passage  of  the  form  and  frisket  under  the  platen. 
Mr.  Ramage  enlarged  the  diameter  of  the  screw  to  three  inches,  and  where 
much  power  was  required  to  three  and  a  half  inches,  and  at  the  same  time 
reduced  the  fall  in  a  revolution  to  two  inches,  which  very  nearly  doubled 
the  impressing  power,  but  decreased  the  rapidity  of  the  action.     It  was  an 
improvement  made  necessary  by  the  finer  hair  lines  the  type  founders 
introduced,  requiring  increased  power  in  the  press,  and  the  reduction  in 
the  descent  of  the  screw  to  one-half  an  inch  was  met  by  a  more  careful 
finish  of  the  frisket  and  its  hinges,  which  were  made  to  slide  freely  under 
the  platen  in  a  space  of  half  an  inch.     Mr.  Ramage  came  from  Scotland 
and  settled  in  Philadelphia.    He  made  his  presses  of  Honduras  mahogany, 
with  ample  substance  and  a  good  finish,  which  gave  them  a  better  appear 
ance  than  foreign  made  presses,  and  they  were  less  liable  to  warp.     Im 
portation  had  in  consequence  almost  entirely  ceased  as  early  as  1800. 
His  great  improvement  on  the  screw  and  working  parts  connected  there 
with  were  made  seven  years  later.     He  died  in  1850,  at  a  great  age.     See 
further,  Printers'  Circular,  Philadelphia,  1868,  p.  108.—  M. 

2  Dr.  Kinsley  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  but  settled  in  Connecticut. 
He  invented  a  machine  for  making  pins,  and  another  for  preparing  clay 
and  moulding  bricks,  etc. 


ENGLISH  AMERICA.  37 

placed  his  forms  of  types  horizontally ;  Kinsley  placed  his 
perpendicularly;  his  method  was  not  calculated  for  neat 
printing.  Nicholson's  presses  were  used,  and,  it  is  said, 
made  excellent  work.1 

Rolling  Presses. 

The  rolling  press,  as  it  is  called,  by  copperplate  printers, 
was  not  used  in  England  till  the  reign  of  King  James 
I.  It  was  carried  from  Antwerp  to  England,  by  one 
Speed.  I  cannot  determine  when  it  was  first  brought  into 
English  America,  but  I  believe  about  the  beginning  of 
the  eighteenth  century. 


1  For  an  account  of  the  introduction  of  cylinder  presses  into  this  country, 
see  Senior's  Mirror  of  Typography,  1871,  p.  2. —  M. 


38  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


MASSACHUSETTS. 

So  far  as  relates  to  the  introduction  of  the  art  of  printing, 
and  establishing  the  press  in  this  section  of  the  continent, 
Massachusetts  claims  precedence  over  all  the  other  colo 
nies.  The  press  was  erected  here  nearly  at  the  end  of  the 
year  1638 ;  and  it  was  more  than  forty  years  later  when 
printing  commenced  in  any  other  part  of  what,  before  the 
revolution,  was  called  British  America. 

Hitherto  justice  has  not  been  done  to  the  man  by 
whose  agency  the  art  was  first  introduced  into  the  English 
colonies.  Although  he  was  one  of  the  best  and  firmest 
friends  to  ISTew  England,  his  name  has  not  been  handed 
down  to  us  with  so  much  publicity  as  were  those  of  other 
distinguished  characters,  who  were  his  contemporaries 
and  fellow  laborers  in  the  great  work  of  settling  a  dreary 
country  and  civilizing  the  children  of  the  wilderness. 
The  principal  cause  of  this  seeming  neglect  in  our  his 
torians  and  biographers  may,  perhaps,  arise  from  the 
circumstance,  that  his  destiny  was  similar  to  that  of 
Moses,  who,  although  zealously  engaged  in  conducting 
the  children  of  Israel  from  Egypt  to  Canaan,  yet  never 
reached  the  land  of  promise  himself. 

As  the  founder  of  the  Anglo-American  press  died  on 
his  passage  from  Europe  to  this  country,  he,  of  course,  did 
not  become  so  well  known  as  he  would  have  been  had  he 
arrived  and  resided  here.  This  circumstance,  probably, 
prevented  his  acquiring  that  celebrity  to  which  his  merits 
justly  entitled  him.  Although  his  name  is  barely  men 
tioned  by  two  or  three  journalists,  yet,  after  a  diligent 
research,  I  have  been  enabled  to  obtain  the  following 
particulars  respecting  this  venerable  Father  of  the  Ame 
rican  Press. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  39 

THE  REV.  JOSEPH  GLOVER  was  a  worthy  and  wealthy 
dissenting  clergyman  in  England,  who  engaged  in  the 
business  of  the  settlement  of  Massachusetts,  and  had  been 
attentively  pursuing  such  measures  for  its  interest  and 
prosperity  as  he  judged  would  best  tend  to  promote  them. 
Among  other  things  for  the  benefit  of  the  infant  colony,  he 
was  very  desirous  of  establishing  a  press  to  accommodate 
the  business  of  both  church  and  state ; l  he  contributed 
liberally  towards  a  sum  sufficient  to  purchase  printing 
materials,  and  for  this  purpose  solicited,  in  England  and 
Holland,  the  aid  of  others.2 

The  ancient  records  of  Harvard  College  mention,  that 
"  Mr.  Joss.  Glover  gave  to  the  college  a  font  of  printing 
letters,  and  some  gentlemen  of  Amsterdam  gave  towards 
furnishing  of  a  printing  press  with  letters  forty-nine  pounds, 
and  something  more."3  The  same  records  give  us,  also, 
the  following  names  as  "  benefactors  to  the  first  fonts  of 

O 

letters  for  printing  in  Cambridge,  in  New  England,  Major 
Thomas  Clark,  Capt  James  Oliver,  Capt.  Allen,  Mr. 
Stoddard,  Mr.  Freake,  and  Mr.  Hues." 

In  the  year  1638,  Mr.  Glover,  having  obtained  the 
means,  procured  a  good  printing  apparatus,  and  engaged 


1  Wonder-  Working  Providence  ofSiorfs  Saviour  in  Neio  England,     London 
edition,   4to,  page   129.     It  is  a   ''History  of  New  England  from  the 
English  planting  in  the  yeere  1G28  until  the  yeere  1652."     It  was  written 
by  Major  Edward  Johnson,  who  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Woburn, 
a  very  judicious  and  active  man  in  the  settlement  of  the  colony;  he 
was  a  member  of  the  general  court,  and  employed  in  several  import 
ant  concerns  of  the  government.     He  was  father  of  the  Hon.  "William 
Johnson,  who  was  chosen  assistant  in  1684.     Johnson  bears  testimony  to 
the  worth  of  Mr.   Glover,  and  speaks  of  his  exertions  to  promote  the 
interests  of  the  infant  colony.     He  mentions  him  as  "  being  able  in  person 
and  estate  for  the  work  in  which  he  was  engaged  ; "  and  "  for  further  corn- 
pleating  the  colonies  in  church  and  common-wcalth-work,  he  provided 
[in  1638]  a  printer,  which  hath  been  very  usefull  in  many  respects." 

2  Governor  "Winthrop  mentions  that  "  a  printing  house  was  begun  at 
Cambridge,  at  the  charge  of  Mr.  Glover."     See  his  Journal,  p.  171. 

3  Ancient  Records  of  Harvard  College,  vol.  i,  and  in,  in  manuscript. 


40  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

a  printer  to  accompany  it  in  a  ship  bound  to  New  England. 
Mr.  Glover,  with  his  family,  embarked  in  the  same  vessel ; 
but  unfortunately  he  did  not  live  to  reach  the  shores  of 
this  new  world.  His  widow  and  children,  it  is  supposed, 
arrived  in  the  autumn  of  that  year,  and  settled  at  Cam 
bridge  ;  she  afterwards  became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Henry 
Dunster,  who  was  elected  the  first  president  of  Harvard 
College. 

It  is  not  known  whether  Mr.  Glover  had  been  in  New 
England  previous  to  his  embarking  for  this  country  in 
1638 ;  but  I  find  by  the  records  of  the  county  of  Middlesex, 
that  he  possessed  a  valuable  real  and  personal  estate  in 
Massachusetts;  that  he  had  two  sons  and  three  daugh 
ters  ;  that  John  Glover,  one  of  the  sons,  was  educated  at 
Harvard  College,  and  graduated  in  1650,  and  was  ap 
pointed  a  magistrate  in  1652 ;  that  one  of  the  daughters 
was  married  to  Mr.  Adam  Winthrop,  and  another  to  Mr. 
Appleton. 

Mr.  Glover  had  doubtless  been  written  to  and  requested 
by  his  friends,  among  whom  were  the  leading  men  in  the 
new  settlement  of  Massachusetts,  who  were  then  establish 
ing  an  academy,  which  soon  acquired  the  appellation  of 
college  —  to  provide  a  press,  etc.,  not  only  for  the  advan 
tage  of  the  church  and  state,  but  particularly  for  the 
benefit  of  the  academy ;  the  records  of  which  prove  that 
the  types  and  press  were  procured  for,  and,  types  particu 
larly,  were  the  property  of,  that  institution.  The  press,  as 
appears  by  the  records  of  the  county  court  of  Middlesex, 
1656,  was  the  property  of  Mr.  Glover's  heirs.  Mr.  Glover, 
it  should  seem,  intended  to  have  carried  on  both  printing 
and  book  selling;  for,  besides  the  printing  materials,  he 
had  provided  a  stock  of  printing  paper,  and  a  quantity  of 
books  for  sale. 

John  Glover,  one  of  the  sons  of  Mr.  Glover,  after  the 
death  of  his  mother  brought  an  action,  in  the  court  above 


MASSACHUSETTS.  41 

mentioned,  against  his  father-in-law  Dunster,  for  the 
recovery  of  the  estate  which  had  belonged  to  his  father 
and  mother,  and  which  was  detained  by  Dunster.  An 
inventory  of  the  estate  was  filed  in  court ;  among  the  items 
were  the  printing  press,  printing  paper,  and  a  quantity  of 
books.  The  inventory  proves  that  the  press,  then  the  only 
one  in  the  country,  was  the  property  of  the  plaintiff  in  the 
action ;  and  it  is  shown  by  the  said  inventory,  and  by  the 
records  of  the  general  court,  that  Dunster  had  had  the 
management  of  the  press,  in  right  of  his  wife,  and  as 
president  of  the  college;  and  that  he  had  received  the 
"  profits  of  it." 1  As  it  may  amuse  those  who  feel  an  interest 
in  whatever  concerns  the  first  press,  and  the  person  by 
whose  agency  the  art  of  printing  was  introduced  into  the 
colonies,  and  as  others  may  be  gratified  by  the  perusal  of 


1  We  gather  some  additional  facts  respecting  Mr.  Glover  from  the 
Glover  Memorials  and  Genealogies^  Anna  Glover,  Boston,  1867. 

The  Rev.  Joseph  Glover  was  rector  of  Button,  in  Surrey,  England, 
from  1628  to  1636,  when  he  tendered  his  resignation  for  the  purpose  of 
coining  to  New  England.  He  preached  in  London,  and  traveled  through 
parts  of  England  endeavoring  to  obtain  funds  for  the  college  already 
commenced  at  Cambridge.  He  embarked  in  the  summer  of  1688,  with 
his  family,  consisting  of  Avife  and  five  children,  in  the  John  of  London, 
bound  for  New  England,  and  died  on  the  passage.  He  had  with  him  a 
printing  press,  and  a  printer  (Stephen  Daye)  who  was  to  superintend  the 
printing ;  and  also  three  men  servants  to  work  the  press. 

His  name,  which  has  been  variously  stated  by  different  writers,  was 
Joseph.  It  is  so  written  by  Gov.  Winthrop  in  his  Journal,  vol.  i,  p.  242, 
and  in  the  Records  of  Button  in  Surrey,  and  wherever  it  occurs  in 
English  documents. 

Mr.  Glover  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Sarah  Owfielcl, 
daughter  of  Roger  Owfield  of  London.  They  had  three  children,  (viz). : 

1.  Roger,  died  in  Scotland. 

2.  Elizabeth,  married  Adam  "Winthrop,  Esq. 

3.  Sarah,  married  Deane  Winthrop,  Esq. 

The  second  wife  to  whom  he  wras  married  about  1630,  was  Elizabeth 
Harris  of  England,  By  her  he  had  two  children,  (viz.) : 

1.  Priscilla,  married  John  Appleton,  Esq.,  of  Ipswich. 

2.  John,  died  in  London  in  1668,  unmarried.     Mrs.  Elizabeth  Glover, 
soon  after  her  arrival  at  Cambridge,  married  Rev.  Henry  Dunster,  and 
died  in  1643.     See,  also  N.  E.  Hist.  Gen.  Regr.,  xxm,  p.  135.—  II. 


42  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

the  proceedings  in,  and  decision  of,  one  of  the  courts  of 
justice  holden  in  the  primitive  state  of  the  country,  I  have 
extracted  them,  verbatim  et  literatim,  from  the  records,  and 
added  them  with  the  inventory  before  mentioned  in  a  note. 
Appendix  C. 

Cambridge. 

The  printing  apparatus,  as  has  been  related,  was,  in  the 
year  1638,1  brought  to  Cambridge,  then  as  much  settled  as 
Boston,  both  places  being  founded  in  a  situation  which 
eight  years  before  this  event,  was,  in  scriptural  language,  a 
howling  wilderness.  At  Cambridge  the  building  of  an 
academy  was  begun ;  and,  it  was  at  that  place  the  rulers 
both  of  church  and  state  then  held  their  assemblies.  These 
circumstances,  probably,  induced  those  who  had  the 
management  of  public  affairs  to  fix  the  press  there ; 
and  there  it  remained  for  sixty  years,  altogether  under 
their  control,  as  were  other  presses  afterwards  established 
in  the  colon}'- ;  but  for  upwards  of  thirty  years,  printing 
was  exclusively  carried  on  in  that  town. 

STEPHEN  DAYE  was  the  first  who  printed  in  this  part  of 
America.  He  was  the  person  whom  Mr.  Glover  engaged 
to  come  to  ^N"ew  England,  and  conduct  the  press.  He  was 
supposed  to  be  a  descendant  of  John  Daye,  a  very  eminent 
printer,  in  London,  from  1560  till  1583,  but  this  cannot  be 
accurately  ascertained.  He  was,  however,  born  in  London, 
and  there  served  his  apprenticeship  to  a  printer. 

Daye  having,  by  the  direction  of  the  magistrates  and 
elders,  previously  erected  the  press  and  prepared  the  other 
parts  of  the  apparatus,  began  business  in  the  first  month  of 
1639.2 


1  The  press  was  set  up  in  the  house  of  the  president  of  Harvard  College, 
the  Rev.  Henry  Dunster,  in  1630.—  M. 
a  Qov.  Winthrop's  Journal,  p.  171. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  43 

The  first  work  which  issued  from  the  press  was  the  Free 
man7  s  Oath  —  to  which  succeeded,  an  almanack. 

However  eminentDaye's  predecessors,  as  printers,  might 
have  heen,  it  does  not  appear  that  he  was  well  skilled  in 
the  art.  It  is  probable  he  was  bred  to  the  press ;  his  work 
discovers  but  little  of  that  knowledge  which  is  requisite  for 
a  compositor.  In  the  ancient  manuscript  records  of  the 
colony,  are  several  particulars  respecting  Daye ;  the  first 
is  as  follows : 

"  Att  a  General  Court  held  at  Boston,  on  the  eighth 
day  of  the  eighth  moneth  [October]  1641.  Steeven  Daye 
being  the  first  that  sett  vpon  printing,  is  graunted  three 
hundred  acres  of  land,  where  it  may  be  convenient 
without  prejudice  to  any  town." 

In  1642,  he  owned  several  lots  of  land  "  in  the  bounds 
of  Cambridge."  He  mortgaged  one  of  those  lots  as  security 
for  the  payment  of  a  cow,  calf,  and  a  heifer ;  whence,  we 
may  conclude,  he  was  not  in  very  affluent  circumstances.1 

In  1648,  Daye,  for  some  offence,  was  by  order  of  the 
general  court  taken  into  custody ;  his  crime  does  not  appear 
on  record ;  the  court  "  ordered,  that  Steeven  Day  shall  be 


1  A  simple  memorandum  of  the  fact,  made  in  the  book  of  records,  was 
then  judged  sufficient,  without  recording  a  formal  mortgage  ;  this  appears 
by  the  first  book  of  records  kept  in  the  colony,  now  in  the  registry  of 
deeds  of  the  county  of  Suffolk,  Massachusetts,  from  which  the  following 
are  extracted,  viz : 

"  Steeven  Day  of  Cambridge  graunted  vnto  John  Whyte  twenty-Seaven 
Acres  of  Land  lying  in  the  Bounds  of  Cambridg  for  the  payment  of  a 
cowe  and  a  calf  and  a  two  yeares  old  heiffer."  Dated  the  25th  of  the  5th 
month,  1642. 

"  Steeven  Day  of  Cambridg  graunted  vnto  Mcholaus  Davidson  of 
Meadford,  all  his  lands  on  the  south  side  of  Charles  River,  being  aboute 
one  hundred  Acres  in  Cambridg  bounds,  for  surety  of  payment  of  sixty 
pounds,  with  sundry  provisions."  Dated  the  25th  of  the  5th  month,  1642. 

"  Steeven  Day  of  Cambridg  bound  over  to  Thomas  Crosby,  five  lots  of 
land  in  the  new  field  beyond  the  water  in  Cambridg,  number  24,  25,  26, 
27,  and  29th,  in  all  sixety  Acres,  for  the  payment  of  fiftey  seaven  pounds, 
with  liberty  to  take  off  all  wood  and  timber."  «fcc.  Dated  16th  of  2d 
month,  164:3. 


44  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

released,  giving  1001.  Bond  for  appearance  when  called 
for." 

Daye  continued  to  print  till  about  the  close  of  the  year 
1648,  or  the  beginning  of  1649 ;  at  which  time  the  printing 
house  was  put  under  the  management  of  Samuel  Green. 
Whether  the  resignation  of  the  office  of  manager  of  the 
printing  house  was  or  was  not  voluntary  in  Daye,  cannot 
be  ascertained.  Neither  the  press  nor  the  types  belonged 
to  him ;  he  had  been  employed  only  as  the  master  work 
man;  his  wages  were  undoubtedly  low;  and  it  evidently 
appears  he  was  embarrassed  with  debts.  His  industry  and 
economy  might  not  be  suited  to  the  state  of  his  finances. 
Circumstances  like  these  might  cause  Mr.  Dunster,  who  it 
seems  then  conducted  the  printing  business,  to  be  dissatis 
fied,  and  induce  him  to  place  the  printing  house  in  other 
hands ;  or,  it  was  possible  that  Daye,  finding  himself  and 
the  press  under  a  control  he  was  unwilling  to  be  subjected 
to,  resigned  his  station. T 

Daye  remained  in  Cambridge;  and,  some  years  after  he 
had  ceased  to  be  master  workman  in  the  printing  house, 
brought  an  action  against  President  Dunster,  to  recover 
one  hundred  pounds  for  former  services.  The  record  of 
the  decision  of  the  County  court  in  that  case,  is  as  follows  : 
"Att  a  County  Court  held  at  Cambridge,  April,  1656, 
Steeven  Day,  Plant,  against  Mr.  Henry  Dunster,  Detft. 
in  an  action  of  the  case  for  Labour  and  Expenses  about 
the  Printing  Presse  and  the  utensils  and  appurtenances 
thereof  and  the  manageing  the  said  worke  to  the  vallue 
of  one  hundred  pounds.  The  jury  finds  for  the  Defft. 
costs  of  court." 

In  1655,  he  had  not  obtained  the  land  granted  to  him 
in  1641.  This  appears  by  the  following  extracts  from  the 
public  records,  viz  : 


1  In  some  legal  papers  after  1G50,  Daye  is  styled  locksmith.      Dr. 
Page's  Manwcript  Hist,  of  Cambridge— IL 


MASSACHUSETTS  .  4  5 

"  At  a  General  Court  of  Elections  holden  at  Boston  29th 
of  May  1655,  In  answer  to  the  Peticon  of  Steeven  Day  of 
Cambridge  craving  that  the  Graunt  within  the  year  1641 
of  this  Court  of  three  hundred  Acres  of  Land  to  him  for 
Recompence  of  his  Care  and  Charg  in  furthering  the 
worke  of  Printing,  might  be  recorded,  the  Record  whereof 
appears  not,1  the  Court  Graunt  his  Request  and  doeth 
hereby  confirme  the  former  graunt  thereof  to  him." 

"  At  a  General  Court  of  Elections  holden  at  Boston,  6th 
of  May  1657,  Steeven  Day  of  Cambridg  having  often 
complayned  that  he  hath  suffered  much  dammage  by 
Erecting  the  Printing  Presse  at  Cambridg,  at  the  Request 
of  the  Magistrates  and  Elders,  for  which  he  never  had  yett 
any  Considerable  Satisfaction.  This  Court  doe  Graunt 
him  three  hundred  Acres  of  Land  in  any  place  not  for 
merly  Graunted  by  this  Court." 

In  the  records  of  1667,  is  the  following  order  of  the 
General  Court  relative  to  another  petition  from  Daye,  viz : 
"  In  answer  to  the  Peticon  of  Steeven  Daye,  It  is  ordered 
that  the  Peticoner  hath  liberty  to  procure  of  the  Sagamore 
of  Nashoway  [now  Lancaster]  by  sale,  or  otherwise,  to 
the  quantity  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  Ypland,  and 
this  Court  doeth  also  graunt  the  peticoner  twenty  Acres 
of  meadow  where  he  can  find  it  free  of  former  Graunts." 

Daye  died  in  Cambridge,  December  22,  1668,  aged 
about  58  years.  Rebecca  Daye,  probably  his  wife,  died, 
October  17,  of  the  same  year. 

I  have  found  but  few  books  printed  by  Daye.  I  have 
never  seen  his  name  in  an  imprint,  and,  I  believe,  it  never 
appeared  in  one.  Several  books  printed  at  Cambridge, 
by  his  successor,  are  without  the  name  of  the  printer ; 
and  some  of  them  do  not  give  even  the  year  in  which 
they  were  printed ;  but  I  have  identified  the  following 


1  The  record  appears  to  have  been  regularly  made  in  1641.     I  extracted 
it  from  the  original  record  book  of  the  colony  for  that  year. 


46  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


Catalogue  of  Books  printed  by  Daye. 

1G39.  The  Freeman's  Oath. 

1639.  An    Almanack,    calculated    for    New    England.      By  Mr. 
Pierce,  Mariner.     The  year  begins  with  March. 

1640.  The  Psalms  in  Metre,  Faithfully  translated  for  the  Use, 
Edification,  and   Comfort  of  the   Saints   in   Publick   and   Private, 
especially  in  New   England.     Crown  8vo.  300  pages.     I  have  no 
doubt  that  it  is  the  first  book  printed  in  this  country.     The  type  is 
Roman,  of  the  size  of  small  bodied  English,  entirely  new,  and  may 
be  called  a  very  good  letter.     In  this  edition  there  are  no  Hymns 
or  Spiritual  Songs;  it  contains  only  the  Psalms,  the  original  long 
preface,  and  "  An  Admonition  to  the  Reader  "  of  half  a  page,  at  the 
end  of  the  Psalms  after  Finis. —  This  "  admonition  "  respects  the  tunes 
suited  to  the  psalms.     The  second  edition  in  1647,  contained  a  few 
Spiritual  Songs.     The  third  edition,  revised  and  amended  by  Presi 
dent   Dunster,    &c.,    had  a  large  addition  of  Scripture  Songs  and 
Hymns,  written    by   Mr.    Lyon.     The    first   edition   abounds  with 
typographical  errors,  many  of  which  were  corrected  in  the  second 
edition.     This   specimen    of  Daye's  printing  does  not  exhibit  the 
appearance  of  good  workmanship.     The  compositor  must  have  been 
wholly  unacquainted    with    punctuation.     "  The    Preface,"    is    the 
running  title  to  that  part  of  the  work.     "  The  "  with  a  period,  is  on 
the  left   hand   page,    and  "  Preface,"  on    the    right.     Periods    are 
often  omitted  where  they  should  be  placed,  and  not  seldom  used 
where  a  comma  only  was  necessary.     Words  of  one  syllable,  at  the 
end  of  lines,  are   sometimes  divided  by   a  hyphen ;  at  other  times 
those  of  two  or  more  syllables  are  divided  without  one;  the  spelling 
is  bad  and  irregular.     One  thing  is  very  singular — at  the  head  of 
every  left  hand  page  throughout  the  book,  the  work  "  PSALM  "  is 
spelled  as  it  should  be;  at  the  head  of  every  right  hand  page,  it  has 
an  E  final  thus,  "  PSAL.ME."     Daye  was  probably  bred  a  pressman ; 
the  press  work  is  passable. 

This  was  commonly  called  The  Bay  Psalm  Book,  but  afterwards 
The  New  England  Version  of  the  Psalms.  The  Rev.  Thomas 
Prince,  of  Boston,  who  published  a  revised  and  improved  edition  in 
1758,  gives,  in  his  preface,  the  following  account  of  its  origin  and  of 
the  first  edition  printed  by  Daye,  viz  :  "  By  1636  there  were  come 
over  hither,  near  thirty  pious  and  learned  Ministers,  educated  in  the 
Universities  of  England ;  and  from  the  same  exalted  Principles  of 
Scripture  Purity  in  Religious  Worship,  they  set  themselves  to 


MASSACHUSETTS.  47 

translate  the  Psalms  and  other  Scripture  Songs  into  English  Metre 
as  near  as  possible  to  the  inspired  Original.  They  committed  this 
Work  especially  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Weld,  and  the  Rev.  John  Eliot1  of 
Roxbury,  well  acquainted  with  the  Hebrew,  in  which  the  Old  Testa 
ment,  and  with  the  Greek,  in  which  the  New,  were  originally  written. 
They  finished  the  Psalms  in  1640,  which  were  first  printed  by  Mr. 
Daye  that  year,  at  our  Cambridge,  and  had  the  Honor  of  being  the 
First  Book  printed  in  North  America,  and  as  far  as  I  find  in  this 
whole  New  World."  2 

1G40.  An  Almanack  for  1640. 

1641.  A  Catechism,  agreed  upon  by  the  Elders  at  the  Desire  of 
the  Genera!  Court.3 

1641.  Body  of  Liberties.  [This  book  contained  an  hundred 
Laws,  which  had  been  drawn  up  pursuant  to  an  order  of  the  General 
court  by  Nathaniel  Ward,  pastor  of  the  church  in  Ipswich.  Mr. 
Ward  had  been  a  minister  in  England,  and  formerly  a  practitioner 
of  law  in  the  courts  of  that  country.]  4 

1641.  An  Almanack    for    1641.     [One    or  more  almanacs  were 
every  year  printed  at  the  Cambridge    press.     In  all  of  them  the 
year  begins  with  March.] 

1642.  Theses,  etc.,  in  Latin,  of  the  first  graduates  in  Harvard 
College. 

1647.  The  Psalms  in  Metre.  Faithfully  translated  for  the  use, 
Edification  and  Comfort  of  the  Saints,  in  public  and  private,  espe 
cially  in  New  England.  Cro.  8vo,  300  pages. 

[This  was  a  second  edition,  somewhat  amended,  and  a  few  Spiritual 
Songs  added.  After  this  edition  was  published,  the  Rev.  Henry 
Dunster,  President  of  Harvard  College,  and  a  master  of  the  Oriental 
languages,  and  Mr.  Richard  Lyon,  educated  at  a  university  in 
Europe,  were  appointed  a  committee  further  to  revise  and  improve 
the  Psalms,  which  service  they  performed  in  two  or  three  years ; 


1  Eliot  who  translated  the  Bible  into  the  Indian  language. 

2  The  reverend  annalist  is  here  in  an  error.     Printing  was  introduced 
into  Mexico,  and  other  Spanish  provinces  in  America,  many  years  before 
the  settlement  of  the  English  colonies  in  North  America. 

:1  This  work  is  mentioned  in  Gov.  Winthrop's  Journal. 

4  The  Body  of  Liberties  had  been  revised  and  altered  by  the  general 
court,  and  sent  to  every  town  for  further  consideration.  This  year  the 
court  again  revised  and  amended  the  laws  contained  in  that  book,  and 
published  and  established  them  as  an  experiment  for  three  years. 

Mr.  Ward  was  the  author  of  TJie  Simple  Cobler  of  Agawam,  a  book 
celebrated  in  New  England  in  the  seventeenth  century. 


48  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

when  another  edition  was  published,  with  the  addition  of  other 
scriptural  songs.  This  revised  version  went  through  numerous 
editions,  in  New  England.  It  was  reprinted  in  England  and  Scot 
land  ;  and  was  used  in  many  of  the  English  dissenting  congregations, 
as  well  as  in  a  number  of  the  churches  in  Scotland  —  it  was  added 
to  several  English  and  Scotch  editions  of  the  Bible ;  and,  went 
through  fifty  editions,  including  those  published  in  Europe]1 

1647.  Danforth's    [Samuel]    Almanack.      "  Cambridg,    Printed 
1648."     The  typography  is  rather  better  than  usual.'2 

1648.  The  Laws  of  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts;  drawn  up  by 
order  of,  and  adopted  by,  the  General  Court,  etc.     Folio.     I  have 
not  found  a  copy  of  this  work. 

1648.  [About]     Astronomical  Calculations.  By  a  Youth.  [Urian 
Oakes,  then  student  at  Cambridge ;  where  he  was  afterwards  settled 
in  the  ministry,  and  elected   president  of  Harvard   College.]     The 
Almanack  had  the   motto  —  Parvum  parva  decent;  sed  inest  sua 
gratia  parvu.     The  year  in  which  this  was  published  is  not  ascer 
tained,  nor  by  whom  printed.'3 

1649.  Danforth's  [Samuel]  Almanack.     "Cambridg,  Printed." 

Besides  the  works  already  enumerated,  there  were  many 
others  printed  by  Daye;  but  no  copies  of  them  are  now 
to  be  found.4 

Although  I  have  not  been  able  to  discover  a  copy  of  the 
laws,  printed  in  1648 ;  yet,  respecting  this  edition,  there 
is  the  following  record,  viz  : 


1  It  was  first  published  in  London,  by  John  Blayne,  bookseller,  1652. 

3  Memorandum  by  Mr.  Thomas  —  [Inquire  of  John  Farmer  the  date  of  an 
Almanack  printed  at  Cambridge  by  Matthew  Daye. 

Matthew  Daye,  I  presume,  was  a  brother  or  son  of  Stephen  Daye.  He 
is  not  noticed  as  a  printer  in  any  record.  I  have  .discovered  nothing 
printed  by  him  but  this  almanac.  It  was  undoubtedly  done  in  Stephen 
Daye's  office  by  his  permission.] 

The  Almanac  referred  to  as  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Farmer,  the  well 
known  antiquary,  is  now  in  the  rich  collection  of  George  Brinley,  Esq., 
of  Hartford,  Conn.  The  date  is  1647.  The  imprint  "  Cambridge  printed 
by  Mathew  Daye ;  and  to  be  sold  by  Hexekiah  Usher,  at  Boston."  For 
notice  of  Mathew  Daye,  see  Masy.  Hist.  Soc.  Proceedings,  in,  154. 

3  It  is  mentioned  by  Mather  in  his  3faijnalia,  by  Holmes  in  his  History 
of  Cambridge,  in  Hist.  Soc.  Coll.,  and  by  others. 

4  A  list  of  all  known  publications  in   this  country  before   1776,   is 
appended  to   his  edition. — 11. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  49 

"  At  a  General  Court  of  Elections  held  at  Boston  8th  month, 
1648.  It  is  ordered  by  the  court  that  the  Booke  of  Lawes  now  at 
the  presse  may  be  sould  in  Quires,  at  3s.  the  booke,  provided  that 
every  member  of  this  court  shall  have  one  without  price,  and  the 
Auditor  Generall  and  Mr.  Joseph  Hills;  for  which  there  shall  be 
fifty  in  all  taken  up  to  be  so  disposed  by  the  appointment  of  this 
court/'  Appendix  D. 

SAMUEL  GREEX,  was  the  son  of  Bartholomew  and  Eliza 
beth  Green,  who,  with  their  children  and  other  relations, 
were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Cambridge.  Samuel 
Green,  then  only  sixteen  years  of  age,  arrived  with  Governor 
Winthrop.  He  was  in  Cambridge  eight  years  before  Daye 
came  from  England;  but  was  unknown  as  a  printer 
until  about  1649,  nearly  eleven  years  after  Daye's  arrival. 
Some  writers,  since  the  year  1733,  erroneously  mention 
Green  as  "  the  lirst  who  printed  in  New  England,  or  in 
North  America."1 

All  the  records  I  have  examined  are  silent  respecting 
the  cause  of  Daye's  relinquishing  the  management  of  the 
press ;  nor  do  they  give  any  reason  why  his  place  in  the 
printing  house  was  supplied  by  the  appointment  of  Green. 
The  similarity  of  Green's  first  printing  to  that  of  Daye's, 
induces  me  to  believe  that  Green  was  unacquainted  with 
the  art  when  he  undertook  the  management  of  the  press, 


1 "  December  28th,  deceased  here  Mr.  Bartholomew  Green,  one  of  the 
deacons  of  the  South  Church ;  who  has  been  the  principal  printer  of  this 
town  and  country  near  forty  years,  in  the  67th  year  of  his  age." 

"  His  father  was  Capt.  Samuel  Green  the  famous  printer  of  Cambridge, 
who  arrived  with  Gov.  Winthrop  in  1630.  He  used  to  tell  his  children 
that,  upon  their  first  coming  ashore,  he  and  several  others  were  for  some 
time  glad  to  lodge  in  empty  casks,  to  shelter  them  from  the  weather. 
This  Capt.  Green  was  a  commission  officer  of  the  military  company  at 
Cambridge  for  above  60  years  together.  He  died  there  Jan.  1,  1701-2, 
aged  87,  highly  esteemed  and  beloved  both  for  piety  and  a  martial  genius. 
He  had  nineteen  children,  eight  by  the  first  wife,  and  eleven  by  his  second, 
who  was  a  daughter  of  Elder  Clark  of  Cambridge." —  Boston  News  Letter, 
Jan.  4,  1733. 

4 


50  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

and  that  he  was  assisted  by  Daye,  who  continued  to 
reside  in  Cambridge;  and  whose  poverty,  probably,  in 
duced  him  to  become,  not  only  an  instructor,  but  a 
journeyman  to  Green. 

By  the  records  of  the  colony,  it  appears,  that  the 
president  of  the  college  still  had  the  direction  of  the 
concerns  of  the  printing  house,  and  made  contracts  for 
printing;  and  that  he  was  responsible  for  the  produc 
tions  of  the  press,  until  licensers  were  appointed.  I  have 
extracted  the  following  from  the  records  of  1650  and  1054  : 

"  At  a  third  meeting  of  the  General  Court  of  Elections 
at  Boston,  the  15th  of  October,  1650,  It  is  ordered  that 
Richard  Bellingham,  Esquir,  the  Secretary,  and  Mr.  Hills, 
or  aney  Two  of  them,  are  appointed  a  Comittee  to  take 
order  for  the  printing  of  Lawes  Agreed  vppon  to  be 
printed,  to  determine  of  all  Things  in  reference  thereunto. 
Agreeing  with  the  President  ffor  the  printing  of  them  with 
all  Expedition  and  to  Alter  the  title  if  there  be  Cawse." 

"  At  a  General  Court  of  Elections,  held  at  Boston,  the 
third  of  May,  1654.  It  is  ordered  by  this  Court  that 
henceforth  the  Secretary  shall,  within  tenn  dayes  after 
this  present  sessions,  and  so  from  time  to  time,  deliver  a 
copie  of  all  Lawes  that  are  to  be  published  unto  the 
President  or  printer,  who  shall  forthwith  make  an  Impres 
sion  thereof  to  the  noumber  of  five,  Six,  or  Seven  hundred 
as  the  Court  shall  order,  all  which  Coppies  the  Treasurer 
shall  take  of  and  pay  for  in  wheate,  or  otherwise  to  Con 
tent,  for  the  Noumber  of  five  hundred,  after  the  rate  of 
one  penny  a  Sheete,  or  eight  shillings  a  hundred  for  five 
hundred  sheetes  of  a  Sorte,  for  so  many  sheetes  as  the 
bookes  shall  contajne,  and  the  Treasurer  shall  disterbute 
the  bookes,  to  every  magistrate  one,  to  every  Court  one, 
to  the  Secretary  one,  to  each  towne  where  no  magistrate 
dwells  one,  and  the  rest  amongst  the  Townes  that  beare 
publick  charge  with  this  jurisdiction,  according  to  the 


MASSACHUSETTS.  51 

noumber  of  freemen  in  each  Towne.  And  the  order  that 
Ingageth  the  Secretary  to  transcribe  coppies  for  the  Townes 
and  others,  is  in  that  respect  repealed."  l 

"  At  a  General  Court  held  at  Boston  9th  of  June,  1654, 
Upon  Conference  with  Mr.  Dunster,  [president  of  the 
college]  and  the  printer  in  reference  to  the  imprinting  of 
the  Acts  of  the  General  Court,  whereby  we  understand 
some  inconveniencies  may  accrue  to  the  Printer  by  print 
ing  that  Law  which  recites  the  agreement  for  printing. 
It  is  therefore  ordered,  that  the  said  law  be  not  put  forth 
in  print,  but  kept  amongst  the  written  records  of  this 
Court." 

Whether  Green  was,  or  was  not  acquainted  with  print 
ing,  he  certainly,  some  time  after  he  began  that  business, 
prosecuted  it  in  such  a  way  as,  generally,  met  approbation. 
He  might,  by  frequenting  the  printing  house,  when  it  was 
under  the  care  of  Daye,  have  obtained  that  knowledge  of 
the  art,  which  enabled  him,  with  good  workmen,  to  carry 
it  on ;  be  this  as  it  may,  it  is  certain  that  as  he  proceeded 
with  the  execution  of  the  business,  he  seems  to  have 
acquired  more  consequence  as  a  printer ;  his  work,  how 
ever,  did  not  discover  that  skill  of  the  compositor,  or 
the  pressman,  that  was  afterwards  shown  when  Johnson, 
who  was  sent  over  to  assist  in  printing  the  Indian  Bible, 
arrived. 

In  1658,  Green  petitioned  the  general  court  for  a  grant 
of  land.  The  court  took  his  petition  into  consideration, 
and  determined  as  follows,  viz. 

"  At  the  Second  Sessions  of  the  General  Court  held  at 
Boston  the  19th  of  October,  1658,  in  answer  to  the  Peticon 
of  Samuel  Green,  of  Cambridge,  printer.  The  Court 


1 1  have  quoted  ancient  records  in  many  instances,  as  they  not  only 
give  facts  correctly,  but  convey  to  us  the  language,  etc.,  of  the  periods  in 
which  they  were  made. 


52  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

judgeth   it  meete  for  his  Encouragement  to  graunt  him 
three  hundred  acres  of  Land  where  it  is  to  be  found." 

In  1659,  the  records  of  the  colony  contain  the  following 
order  of  the  General  court.  "  It  is  ordered  by  this  Court 
that  the  Treasurer  shall  be  and  hereby  is  empowered  to  dis 
burse  out  of  the  Treasury  what  shall  be  necessary  tending 
towards  the  printing  of  the  Lawes,  to  Samuel  Greene,  re 
ferring  to  his  Pajnes  therein  or  otherwise."  This  edition 
of  the  Laws  was  ordered  to  be  printed  December  1658, 
and  was  finished  at  the  press,  October  16th,  1660. 

From  the  Manuscript  records  of  the  commissioners  of 
the  United  Colonies,  who  were  agents  for  the  corporation 
in  England  for  propagating  the  gospel  among  the  Indians 
in  New  England,  we  find  that  in  1656  there  were  two 
presses  in  Cambridge,  both  under  the  care  of  Green.  One 
belonged  to  the  college,  which  undoubtedly  was  the  press 
that  Mr.  Glover  purchased  in  England,  and  Daye  brought 
over  to  America ;  the  other  was  the  property  of  the 
corporation  in  England.  There  were  types  appropriated 
to  each. 

The  corporation,  for  a  time,  had  their  printing  executed 
in  London ;  but  when  the  Indian  youth  had  been  taught 
to  read,  &c.,  at  the  school  at  Cambridge,  established  for 
the  purpose,  and  Mr.  Eliot  and  Mr.  Pierson  had  translated 
Primers  and  Catechisms  into  the  Indian  language  for  the 
common  use  of  the  Indians,  and  eventually  translated  the 
Bible,  it  became  necessary  that  these  works  should  be 
printed  in  America,  under  the  inspection  of  the  transla 
tors.  For  this  reason  the  corporation  sent  over  a  press 
and  types,  furnished  every  printing  material  for  their 
work,  and  even  paid  for  mending  of  the  press  when  out  of 
repair.  In  September,  1654,  the  commissioners  in  the 
United  Colonies  found  that  a  sufficient  quantity  of  paper 
and  types  for  the  purpose  of  executing  the  works  which 
were  projected  had  not  been  received,  they  therefore, 


MASSACHUSETTS.  53 

wrote  to  the  corporation  in  England  for  an  augmentation 
to  the  value  of  £20.1     The  articles  arrived  in  1655. 

Green  judging  it  necessary  to  have  more  types  for  the 
Indian  work,  in  1658,  petitioned  the  General  Court  to 
that  purpose.  The  court  decided  thereon  as  follows,  viz. 

"  At  a  General  Court  holden  at  Boston  19th  of  May, 
1658.  In  answer  to  the  Peticon  of  Samuel  Green,  printer, 
at  Cambridge,  The  Court  Judgeth  it  meete  to  Comend 
the  consideration  therof  to  the  Comissioners  of  the  United 
Colon] es  at  their  next  meeting  that  so  if  they  see  meete 
they  may  write  to  the  Corporation  in  England  for  the 
procuring  of  twenty  pounds  worth  more  of  letters  for  the 
vse  of  the  Indian  Colledg." 

When  the  press  and  types,  &c.,  sent  by  the  corporation 
in  England,  for  printing  the  Bible  and  other  books  in  the 
Indian  Language,  arrived  they  were  added  to  the  printing 
materials  belonging  to  the  college,  and  altogether  made  a 
well  furnished  printing  house.2  The  types  were  very  good, 
and  the  faces  of  them  as  handsome  as  any  that  were  made 
at  that  time;  they  consisted  of  small  founts  of  nonpareil, 
brevier,  long  primer,  small  pica,  pica,  english,  great  primer, 
and  double  pica ;  also,  small  casts  of  long  primer  and  pica 
Hebrew,  Greek,  and  blacks.  The  building  occupied  for  a 
printing  house,  was  well  suited  to  the  business.  It  had 
been  designed  for  a  college  for  the  Indian  youth. 


1  All  the  sums  are  in  sterling  money. 

2  General  Daniel  Gookin,  who  lived  in  Cambridge,  and  who,  in  1662, 
was  appointed  one  of  the  two  first  licensers  of  the  press,  mentions  in  his 
work,  entitled  Historical  Collections  of  the  Indians  of  New  England  dedicated 
to  King  Charles  II,  that  "  the  houses  erected  for  the  Indian  college,  built 
strong  and   substantial   of  brick,  at  the  expense  of  the  Corporation  in 
England  for  propagating  the  Gospel  in  New  England,  and  cost  between 
300Z.  and  400£.  not  being  improved  for  the  ends  intended,  by  reason  of 
the   death  and  failing   of   Indian  scholars,  was  taken  to  accommodate 
English  scholars,  and  for  placing  and  using  the  Printing  Press  belonging 
to  the  college,"  &c.     This  building  was  taken  down  many  years  since. 
It  stood  not  far  from  the  other  buildings  of  the  college. 


54  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Green  now  began  printing  the  Bible  in  the  Indian  lan 
guage,  which  even  at  this  day  would  be  thought  a  work  of 
labor,  and  must,  at  that  early  period  of  the  settlement  of 
the  country,  have  been  considered  a  business  difficult 
to  accomplish,  and  of  great  magnitude.  It  was  a  work  of 
so  much  consequence  as  to  arrest  the  attention  of  the 
nobility  and  gentry  of  England,  as  well  as  that  of  King 
Charles,  to  whom  it  was  dedicated.  The  press  of  Harvard 
college,  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  was  for  a  time,  as 
celebrated  as  the  presses  of  the  universities  of  Oxford  and 
Cambridge,  in  England.  Having  obtained  many  particu 
lars  relating  to  the  printing  of  this  edition  of  the  Bible,  I 
will  follow  Green  through  that  arduous  undertaking. 

In  1659,  Hezekiah  Usher,  merchant,  and  bookseller,  of 
Boston,  agent  for  the  corporation,  charges  that  body  £40 
paid  Green  for  printing  "  the  Psalms  and  Mr.  Pierson's 
Cattechisme,"  &c.,  and  credits  80  £  in  printing  types;  he 
also  gives  credit  for  one  hundred  and  four  reams  of  paper 
sent  by  the  corporation  toward  printing  the  Xew  Testa 
ment  "  in  the  Indian  language."  The  corporation  in  a 
letter  dated  London,  April  28,  1660,  and  directed  to  the 
commissioners,  observes :  "  Consenting  youer  Printing 
the  Xew  Testament  in  the  Indian  Language,  a  sheet 
whereof  you  haue  transmitted  to  vs,  wee  concurr  with 
youerselues  therin,  and  doe  approue  of  that  prouision  you 
have  made  for  printing  the  same  conceiueing  and  offering 
as  our  judgments  that  it  is  better  to  print  fifteen  hundred 
than  but  a  thousand;  hopeing  that  by  incurragement 
from  Sion  Collidge,  with  whom  we  haue  late  conference, 
you  may  bee  enabled  to  print  fifteen  hundred  of  the 
Ould  Testament  likewise." 

Usher,  in  his  account  rendered  to  the  corporation  in 
1660,  debits  the  stock  of  the  corporation  with  two  hundred 
reams  of  printing  paper,  "bought  since  he  rendered  his 
last  account,"  and  with  printing  ink  and  types,  and 


MASSACHUSETTS.  55 

"  setting  them  in  the  presse,"  the  gross  sum  of  £120  1  8 ; 
and,  to  "  cash  paid  Mr.  Green  for  distributing  the  ffont  of 
letters  and  printing  six  sheets  of  the  New  Testament  in 
Indian  att  four  pounds  per  sheet,  £24." 

In  September  1661,  the  commissioners,  who  that  year 
met  at  Plymouth,  wrote  to  Mr.  Usher ;  and  among  other 
things,  thanked  him  for  his  "  care  in  providing  Matterials 
and  furthering  the  printing  of  the  Bible,  and  desire  the 
continuance  of  the  same  vntill  it  bee  Issved;"  and  to 
"  pay  Mr.  Green  for  printing  the  same  as  formerly  ;  "  also 
to  "  demaund  and  receiue  of  Mr.  Green  the  whole  Impres 
sion  of  the  New  Testament  in  Indian,  now  finished ;  and 
take  care  for  the  binding  of  two  hundred  of  them  strongly 
and  as  speedily  as  may  bee  with  leather  or  as  may  bee 
most  serviceable  for  the  Indians ;  and  deliuer  them  forth 
as  you  shall  haue  direction  from  any  of  the  commissioners 
for  the  time  being  of  which  keep  an  exact  account  that 
soe  it  may  bee  seen  how  they  are  Improved  and  disposed 
of;  alsoe,  wee  pray  you  take  order  for  the  printing  of  a 
thousand  coppyes  of  Mr.  Eliotts  Catichismes  which  we 
vnderstand  are  much  wanting  amongst  the  Indians,  which 
being  finished,  Receine  from  the  Presse  and  dispose  of 
them  according  to  order  abouesaid." 

The  agent,  in  his  account  current  with  the  corporation 
in  1(362,  has,  among  other  charges,  one  for  "  Disbursements 
for  printing  the  Bible  as  per  bill  of  particulars  £234  11  8."1 


The  following  is  the  bill  of  particulars,  as  charged  by  Green,  viz  : 

To  mending  of  the  windowes  of  the  printing  house, ...  £  1     05 

To  pack  thrid  and  uellum, , 56 

To  2  barrells  of  Inkc  and  leather  for  balls, 20    00 

To  hide  for  the  presse  being  broken, 1    00 

To  160  Reams  of  Paper  Att  6s.  per  ream, 48    00 

To  printing  the  Title  sheet  to  the  New  Testament,. . .  100 

To  printing  1500  Cattechismes, 15     00 

To  printing  21  sheets  of  the  Old  Testament,  att  31b.  10s. 

per  sheet  Mr.  lohnson  being  absent, 73  10  0 


56  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

This  bill  was  only  for  one  year  ending  September,  1662. 
At  that  time  Green,  by  direction,  gave  to  the  commis 
sioners  : 

"  An  account  of  the  Vtensils  for  printing  belonging  to  the  Corporation, 
in  the  custody  of  Samuell  Green  of  Cambridge  Printer  and  giueri 
in  vnder  his  hand,  viz  :  ^ 

The  presse  with  what  belongs  to  it^ith  onetinn  pann  and  two  frisk- 

etts. 

Item  two  table  of  Cases  of  letters  [types]  with  one  ode  [odd]  Case. 
Item  the  ffontt  of  letters  together  with    Imperfections  that  came 

since. 

Item  one  brasse  bed,  one  Imposing  stone. 
Item  two  barrells  of  Inke,  3  Chases,  2  composing  stickes  one  ley 

brush  2  candlestickes  one  for  the  Case  the  other  for  the  Presse. 
Item  the  frame  and  box  for  the  sesteren  [water  trough.] 
Item  the  Riglet  brasse  rules  and  scabbard  the  Sponge  1  galley  1 

mallet  t 1  sheeting  [shooting]  sticke  and  furniture  for  the  chases. 
Item  the  letters  [types]  that  came  before  that  were  mingled  with  the 

colledges." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  commissioners  in  September,  1663, 
the  agent  charges  the  corporation  with  the  balance  due  for 
printing  the  Bible,  which  he  paid  that  month  to  Green,  in 
full  for  his  services,  £140  12  6.  Green,  at  this  meeting, 
gave  in  an  account  of  all  the  printing  paper  he  had  received 
at  different  times,  from  the  corporation  and  their  agent, 
amounting  to  469  reams ;  368  reams  of  which  he  had  used 
in  printing  the  Bible,  30  reams  in  printing  two  Catechisms, 
and  there  remained  in  his  hands  71  reams. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  commissioners  in  September, 
1664,  among  the  articles  charged  in  the  agent's  account 


To  printing  25  sheets  with  his  hcalp  att  50  shill.  per 

sht'et, 62  10  0 

To  binding  200  Testaments  att  6  d.  a  peece, 5     0    0 

To  Mr.  Johnsons  board, 751) 


£234  11  8 


MASSACHUSETTS.  57 

with  the  corporation,  was  the  following  bill  of  sundries 
paid  to  Green,  viz : 

"To  expences  about  the  presse  for  mending  it;  makeing 

new  Chases,  and  to  twenty  seauen  skins  for  balls  &c.  £444 
To  two  smale  Chests  to  put  the  Bibles  in  [20  Copies]  that 

were  sent  to  England.  5  0 

To  printing  the  Indian  Psalmes  to  go  with  the  Bible,  13 

sheets  att  2  ft  per  sheet,  26  0  0 

To  printing  the  Epistle  dedicatory  to  the  Bible,  100 

To  printing  Baxter's  Call  in  Indian,  eight  sheets  at  50s. 

per  sheet,  20  0  0 

To  printing  the  Psalter  in  Indian,  9  sheets,  at  20s.  900 

To  one  yeares  board  of  Johnson,  15  0  0 


The  agent,  in  his  account  for  1669,  charges,  "  Cash 
paid  Green  for  binding  and  clasping  200  Indian  Bibles 
at  2  s.  6  d.  £25.— For  binding  200  Practice  of  Piety 
at  6d.  £5.— For  do.  400  Baxter's  Call  at  3s.  per  100, 
12s."  &c. 

I  have  made  a  calculation  from  the  documents  I  have 
seen,  and  find  the  whole  expense  attending  the  carrying 
through  the  press,  1000  copies  of  the  Bible,  500  additional 
copies  of  the  New  Testament,  an  edition  of  Baxter's  Call 
to  the  Unconverted,  an  edition  of  the  Psalter,  and  two 
editions  of  Eliot's  Catechism,  all  in  the  Indian  language, 
including  the  cost  of  the  types  for  printing  the  Bible,  and 
the  binding  a  part  of  them,  and  also  the  binding  of  a  part 
of  Baxter's  Call,  and  the  Psalters,  amounted  to  a  fraction 
more  than  £1200,  sterling.  The  Bible  was  printed  on  a 
fine  paper  of  pot  size,  and  in  quarto.  After  the  first 
edition  of  the  Bible,  and  some  other  books  in  the  Indian 
language,  had  been  completed  at  the  press  belonging  to 
the  corporation  for  propagating  the  gospel,  &c.,  the  cor 
poration  made  a  present  of  their  printing  materials  to  the 
college.  On  this  occasion  the  government  of  the  college 
ordered  as  follows  : 


58  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

"Harvard  Colledge  Sept.  20,  1670.  The  honorable 
Corporation  for  the  Indians  having  ordered  their  Print 
ing  Presse,  letters,  arid  Ytensils  to  be  delivered  to  the 
Colledge,  the  Treasurer  is  ordered  forthwith  to  take  order 
for  the  receiveing  thereof,  and  to  dispose  of  the  same  for 
the  Colledge  use  and  improvement."1  Green,  by  direc 
tion,  gave  to  the  president  a  schedule  of  the  articles,  and 
valued  them  at  £80.  That  sum  must  have  been  very  low. 
"With  these  types  he  began  another  edition  of  the  Indian 
Bible.2 

Some  small  religious  treatises  having  been  published  in 
1662,  which  the  general  court,  or  some  of  the  ruling 
clergy,  judged  rather  too  liberal,  and  tending  to  open  the 
door  of  heresy,  licensers  of  the  press  were  appointed ; 3 
but  on  the  27th  of  May,  1663,  the  general  court  "  Ordered 
that  the  Printing  Presse  be  at  liberty  as  formerly,  till  this 
Court  shall  take  further  order,  and  the  late  order  is 
hereby  repealed."4  After  this  order  was  passed,  a  more 
free  use  of  the  press  seems  to  have  been  made ;  this 
immediately  arrested  the  attention  of  government,  and 
soon  awakened  their  fears ;  and  the  following  rigid  edict 
was  in  consequence  passed,  viz. 

"  At  a  General  Court  called  by  order  from  the  Gover- 
nour,  Deputy  Governour,  and  other  Magistrates,  held  at 
Boston  19th  of  October  1664.  For  the  preventing  of 
Irregularyties  and  abuse  to  the  authority  of  this  Country, 
by  the  Printing  Presse,  it  is  ordered  by  this  Court  and  the 
authority  thereof,  that  theeir  shall  no  Printing  Presse  be 
allowed  in  any  Towne  within  this  Jurisdiction,  but  in 


1  College,  Records  vol.  i. 

2  The  New  Testament,  of  which  five  hundred  octavo   copies  were 
printed,  was  first  put  to  the  press,  and  finished,  in  1G81,  and  the  whole 
Bible  completed  in  1686. 

3  Major  Daniel  Gookin  and  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Mitchell  were  the  first 
appointed  licensers  of  the  press.     [Ancient  records  of  the  colony.] 

4  Ancient  records  of  the  colony. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  59 

Cambridge,1  nor  shall  any  person  or  persons  presume  to 
print  any  Copie  but  by  the  allowance  first  had  and 
obtayned  under  the  hands  of  such  as  this  court  shall  from 
tjme  to  tjme  Impower;  the  President  of  the  Colledge, 
Mr.  John  Shearman,  Mr.  Jonathan  Mitchell  and  Mr. 
Thomas  Shepheard,  or  any  two  of  them  to  survey  such 
Copie  or  Coppies  and  to  prohibit  or  allow  the  same 
according  to  this  order;  and  in  case  of  non  observance 
of  this  order,  to  forfeit  the  Presse  to  the  Country  and  be 
disabled  from  Ysirig  any  such  profession  within  this  Juris 
diction  for  the  tjme  to  Come.  Provided  this  order  shall 
not  extend  to  the  obstruction  of  any  Coppies  which 
this  Court  shall  Judge  meete  to  order  to  be  published 
in  Print."  2 

Government  appears  not  only  to  have  required  a  com 
pliance  with  the  above  law,  but  to  have  exercised  a  power 
independent  of  it.  The  licensers  of  the  press  had  per 
mitted  the  reprinting  of  a  book  written  by  Thomas  a 
Kempis,  entitled  Imitation  of  Christ  &c.,  a  work  well 
known  in  the  Christian  world.  This  treatise  was  repre 
sented  to  the  court  by  some  of  its  members,  in  their 
session  in  1667,  as  being  heretical;  whereupon  the  court 
passed  an  order  as  follows  :  "  This  Court  being  informed 
that  there  is  now  in  the  Presse  reprinting,  a  book  that 
Imitates  of  Christ,  or  to  that  purpose,  written  by  Thomas 
Kempis,  a  popish  minister,  wherein  is  contayned  some 
things  that  are  lesse  safe  to  be  infused  amongst  the  people 
of  this  place,  Doe  comend  to  the  licensers  of  the  Presse 
the  more  full  revisale  thereof,  and  that  in  the  meane  tjme 
there  be  no  farther  progresse  in  that  work." 


1  By  this  order  it  should  seem  that  another  press  had  been  set  up,  or 
what  is  most  probable,  intended  to  be,  in  Boston.     But  I  have  not  found 
any  book  printed   in   Boston,  or  in  any  other  town   in  Massachusetts, 
excepting  Cambridge,  until  the  year  1674. 

2  Ancient  manuscript  records  of  the  colony. 


60  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

In  1671,  the  general  court  ordered  an  edition  of  the 
laws,  revised,  &c.,  to  be  printed.  Heretofore  the  laws  had 
been  published  at  the  expense  of  the  colony.  John  Usher, 
a  wealthy  bookseller,  who  was  then  or  soon  after  treasurer 
of  the  province,  made  interest  to  have  the  publishing  of 
this  edition  on  his  own  account.  This  circumstance  pro 
duced  the  first  instance  in  this  country  of  the  security  of 
copyright  by  law.  Usher  contracted  with  Green  to  print 
the  work,  but  suspecting  that  Green  might  print  additional 
copies  for  himself,  or  that  Johnson,  who  was  permitted  to 
print  at  Cambridge,  would  reprint  from  his  copy,  two 
laws,  at  the  request  of  Usher,  were  passed  to  secure  to 
him  this  particular  work.  These  laws  are  copied  from 
the  manuscript  records;  the  first  was  in  May,  1672,  and 
is  as  follows,  viz :  "  In  answer  to  the  petition  of  John 
Ysher,  the  Court  Juclgeth  it  meete  to  order,  and  be  it  by 
this  Court  ordered  and  Enacted,  That  no  Printer  shall 
print  any  more  Coppies  than  are  agreed  and  paid  for  by 
the  owner  of  the  Coppie  or  Coppies,  nor  shall  he  nor  any 
other  reprint  or  make  Sale  of  any  of  the  same  without  the 
said  Owner's  consent  upon  the  forfeiture  and  penalty 
of  treble  the  whole  charge  of  Printing  and  paper  of  the 
quantity  paid  for  by  the  owner  of  the  Coppie,  to  the 
said  owner  or  his  Assigns." 

When  the  book  was  published,  Usher,  not  satisfied 
with  the  law  already  made  in  his  favor,  petitioned  the 
court  to  secure  him  the  copyright  for  seven  years.  In 
compliance  with  the  prayer  of  his  petition,  the  court  in 
May,  1673,  decreed  as  follows:  "John  Vsher  Having 
been  at  the  sole  Chardge  of  the  Impression  of  the  booke 
of  Lawes,  and  presented  the  Governour,  Magistrates, 
Secretary,  as  also  every  Deputy,  and  the  Clark  of  the 
deputation  with  one.  The  Court  Judgeth  it  meete  to 
order  that  for  at  least  Seven  years,  Ynlesse  he  shall  have 
sold  them  all  before  that  tjrne,  there  shall  be  no  other  or 


MASSACHUSETTS.  61 

further  Impression  made  by  any  person  thereof  in  this 
Jurisdiction,  under  the  penalty  this  court  shall  see  cause 
to  lay  on  any  that  shall  adventure  in  that  Kind,  besides 
making  ffull  satisfaction  to  the  said  Jno  Ysher  or  his 
Assigns,  for  his  chardge  and  damage  thereon.  Voted  by 
the  whole  court  met  together." 

A  revised  edition  of  the  laws  of  the  colony  was  put  to 
the  press  in  1685.  Respecting  this  edition  the  court 
"  Ordered,  for  the  greater  expedition  in  the  present  revisal 
of  the  Laws  they  shall  be  sent  to  the  Presse  Sheete  by 
Sheete,  and  the  Treasurer  shall  make  payment  to  the 
Printer  for  the  same,  Paper  and  work ;  and  Elisha  Cook 
and  Samuel  Sewall  Esqrs.  are  desired  to  oversee  the 
Presse  about  that  work." 

There  is  among  the  records  of  the  colony  for  1667, 
one  as  follows :  "  Layd  out  to  Ensign  Samuel  Green  of 
Cambridge  printer  three  hundred  Acres  of  land  in  the 
wilderness  on  the  north  of  Merrimacht  River  on  the  west 
side  of  Haverhill,  bounded  on  the  north  east  of  two  little 
ponds  beginning  at  a  red  oak  in  Haverhill,"  &c.  "  The 
court  allowed  of  the  returne  of  this  farme  as  laid  out."  By 
the  records  of  the  earliest  English  proprietors  of  Cam 
bridge,  it  appears  that  Green  was  the  owner  of  several 
valuable  tracts  of  land  in  and  about  that  town. 

Green  often  mentioned  to  his  children,  that  for  some 
time  after  his  arrival  in  ]S"ew  England,  he,  and  several 
others,  were  obliged  to  lodge  in  large  empty  casks,  hav 
ing  no  other  shelter  from  the  weather;  so  few  were  the 
huts  then  erected  by  our  hardy  and  venerable  ancestors. 
He  had  nineteen  children ;  eight  by  his  first  wife,  and 
eleven  by  a  second,  who  was  daughter  of  Mr.  Clarke, 
an  elder  in  the  church  in  Cambridge,  and  to  whom  he 
was  married  Feb.  23,  1662.1  Mne  of  the  children  by 


Middlesex  Records  of  Marriages  and  Deaths,  vol.  in. 


62  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

the  second  wife  lived   to  the   age  of  fifty-two  years,  or 
upwards. 

The  Cambridge  company  of  Militia  elected  Green  to 
be  their  captain ;  and,  as  such,  he  bore  a  commission  for 
thirty  years.  He  took  great  pleasure  in  military  exer 
cises  ;  and  when  he  became  through  age  too  infirm  to  walk 
to  the  field,  he  insisted  on  being  carried  there  in  his  chair 
on  days  of  muster,  that  he  might  review  and  exercise  his 
company.1 

He  was  for  many  years  chosen  town  clerk.  And  in  the 
Middlesex  Records,  vol.  i,  is  the  following  particular,  viz  : 
"At  a  County  Court  held  at  Cambridge  the  5th  8th 
month  1652,  Samuel  Green  is  alowed  Clearke  of  the 
"Writts  for  Cambridge." 

Green  continued  printing  till  he  became  aged.  He  was 
a  pious  and  benevolent  man,  and  as  such  was  greatly 
esteemed.  He  died  at  Cambridge,  January  1st,  1702, 
aged  eighty-seven  years. 

Until  the  commencement  of  the  revolution  in  1775, 
Boston  was  not  without  one  or  more  printers  by  the  name 
of  Green.  These  all  descended  from  Green  of  Cambridge. 
Some  of  his  descendants  have,  for  nearly  a  century  past, 
been  printers  in  Connecticut.  One  of  them,  in  1740, 
removed  to  Annapolis,  and  established  the  Maryland 
Gazette,  which  was  long  continued  by  the  family. 

~No  printing  was  done  at  Cambridge  after  Green's  death. 
The  press  was  established  in  this  place  sixty  years ;  and, 
about  fifty  of  them,  Green,  under  government,  was  the 
manager  of  it.  He  was  printer  to  the  college  as  long  as 
he  continued  in  business. 

Soon  after  his  decease,  the  printing  materials  were 
removed  from  Cambridge  and  probably  sold.  It  does 
not  appear  that  the  corporation  of  the  college  owned  any 


1  Boston  News  Letter,  Jan.,  1733. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  63 

types  after  this  time  till  about  the  year  1718,  when  Mr. 
Thomas  Hollis,  of  London,  a  great  benefactor  to  the  col 
lege,  among  other  gifts,  presented  to  the  university  a 
fount,  or  cast,  of  Hebrew,  and  another  of  Greek  types, 
both  of  them  of  the  size  of  long  primer.  The  Greek  was 
not  used  till  1761,  when  the  government  of  the  college 
had  a  work  printed  entitled,  Pietas  et  Gratulatio  Collegii 
Cantabrigiensis  apud  Novanglos,  dedicated  to  King  George 
III,  on  his  accession  to  the  throne ;  two  of  these  poetical 
essays  being  written  in  Greek,  called  these  types  into 
use.  They  were  never  used  but  at  that  time,  and  were  in 
January,  1764,  destroyed  by  the  fire  that  consumed  Har 
vard  hall,  one  of  the  college  buildings,  in  which  the  types 
and  college  library  were  deposited;  the  cast  of  Hebrew 
escaped,  having  been  sent  to  Boston  some  time  before  to 
print  Professor  Sewall's  Hebrew  Grammar. 

The  following  is  a  catalogue  of  the  books  that  I  have 
ascertained  were  printed  by  Green,  and  by  Green  and 
Johnson  ;  the  greater  part  of  them  I  have  seen.  Those 
in  which  Marmaduke  Johnson  was  concerned,  have  the 
names  of  the  printers  added. 

Catalogue  of  Books  printed  ~by  Green. 

1G49.  "A  Platform  of  Church  Discipline  gathered  out  of  the 
word  of  God :  and  agreed  upon  by  the  Elders  j  and  Messengers  of 
the  Churches  assembled  in  the  Synod  at  Cambridge  in  New  Eng 
land  to  be  presented  to  the  Churches  and  Generall  Court  for  their 
consideration  and  acceptance,  in  the  Lord.  The  Eight  Moneth 
Anno  1G49.  Printed  by  S.  G.  at  Cambridge  in  New  England  and 
are  to  be  Sold  at  Cambridge  and  Boston  Anno  Dom  :  1649."  Quarto, 
of  pot  size,  44  pages. 

[This  book  appears  to  be  printed  by  one  who  was  but  little  ac 
quainted  with  the  typographic  art ;  it  is  a  proof  that  Green  was  not 
bred  to  it,  and  that  this  was  one  of  the  first  books  from  the  press 
after  he  began  printing.  The  type  is  new  pica,  or  one  but  little 
worn  •  the  press  work  is  very  bad,  and  that  of  the  case  no  better. 
The  punctuation  in  the  title  is  exactly  copied ;  the  compositor  did 


64  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

not  seem  to  know  the  use  of  points ;  there  are  spaces  before  com 
mas,  periods,  parentheses,  &c.  The  head  of  The  Preface  is  in  two 
lines  of  large  capitals,  but  has  no  point  after  it  —  nor  is  there  any 
after  FINIS,  which  word  is  in  two  line  capitals  at  the  end  of 
the  book.  The  pages  of  the  Preface  have  a  running  title ;  with 
the  folio,  or  number  of  the  pages,  in  brackets  immediately  follow 
ing  in  the  centre  of  a  line,  thus, 

The  Preface  [2] 

The  printer  did  not  appear  to  have  any  acquaintance  with  sig 
natures.  The  book  is  printed  and  folded  in  whole  sheets,  without 
insets ;  in  the  first  sheet,  at  the  bottom  of  the  second  page,  is  Aa, 
third  page  Aaa,  fifth  page  Aaa,  seventh  page  Aaaa.  The  second 
sheet  has  the  signature  A  at  the  bottom  of  the  first  page  of  that 
sheet;  A  a,  third  page,  A  a  a,  fifth  page,  and  Aaaa,  seventh 
page.  The  third  sheet  begins  with  B,  which  the  following  sheets, 
have  as  many  signatures  to  each  as  the  first  and  second ;  but 
all,  excepting  those  on  the  first  and  third  pages  of  a  sheet,  were 
uncommon,  and  have  not  any  apparent  meaning.  Every  part  of  the 
work  shows  the  want  of  common  skill  in  the  compositor.  Facs,  and 
ornamented  large  capitals  cut  on  wood,  are  used  at  the  beginning  of 
the  preface,  and  at  the  first  chapter  of  the  work.  A  head  piece  of 
flowers  is  placed  at  the  beginning  of  the  text,  and  a  line  of  flowers 
between  each  chapter.  In  the  book  are  many  references  to  scrip 
ture,  in  marginal  notes,  on  brevier.  Letters  of  abbreviation  are 
frequently  used  —  such  as  cornend,  allowfice,  compfiy,  acquait,  fro, 
offece,  offeded,  partakig,  cofession,  &c.  The  spelling  is  very  ancient, 
as  els,  forme,  vpon,  owue,  wildernes,  powr,  eyther,  wee,  acknow- 
ledg,  niinde,  doctrin,  therin,  wherin,  himselfe,  patrone,  choyce, 
soveraigne,  sinne,  satisfie,  griefe,  &c.  As  I  believe  this  book  to  be 
one  of  the  first  printed  by  Green,  I  have  been  thus  particular  in 
describing  it ;  soon  after  this  period  his  printing  was  much  im 
proved.]  [The  Platform,  &c.,  was  reprinted  in  London,  in  1653, 
for  "  Peter  Cole,  at  the  Sign  of  the  printing  Press,  in  Cornhill,  near 
the  lloyal  Exchange."] 

1G50.  Norton's  [John]  Heart  of  New  England  rent  at  the  Blas 
phemies  of  the  present  Generation.  4to.  58  pages. 

1050.  The  Psalms,  Hymns,  and  Spiritual  Songs  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testament,  faithfully  translated  into  English  Metre.  For  the 
Use,  Edification  and  Comfort  of  the  Saints  in  publick  and  private, 
especially  in  New  England.  2  Tim.  3  :  1G,  17.  Col.  3  :  1C,  Eph.  5  : 


MASSACHUSETTS.  65 

18,  19.  James  5  :  13."  Crown  8vo,  308  pages.  [This  was  the 
New  England  version  of  the  Psalms,  revised  and  improved  by 
President  Dunster  and  Richard  Lyon,  mentioned  by  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Prince.] 

1653.  Eliot's  [John]  Catechism.  [In  the  Indian  language. 
Printed  at  the  expense  of  the  corporation  in  England  for  propagat 
ing  the  gospel  among  the  Indians  in  New  England.] 

1655.  God's  Mercy  shewed  to  his  People  in  giving  them  a  faithful 
Ministry  and  Schooles  of  Learning,  for  the  continual  Supplyes  thereof. 
Delivered  in  a  sermon  Preached  at  Cambridge  the  Day  after  the 
Commencement,  by  Charles  Chauncy,  B.  D.,  President  of  Harvard 
College,  in  New  England.     Published  with  some  additions  thereto,  at 
the   Request  of  divers  Honoured  and  much  Respected  Friends,  for 
publick  Benefit,  as  they  judged.     Small  8vo,  56  pages. 

1656.  An  Almanack  for  the  year  of  our  Lord  1656.     By  T.  S. 
Philomathemat.     Foolscap.  8vo.  16  pages      [This  Almanack  I  own. 
It  appears  that   an  Almanack  was  annually  printed  at  Cambridge 
from  the  first  establishment  of  the  press,  till  near  the  close  of  the 
17th  century.     Many  of  them  I  have  seen,  and  these  I  shall  more 
particularly  notice.] 

1657.  An  Almanack  for  the  year  of  our  Lord  1657.     By  S.  B. 
Philomathemat.     Foolscap.  8vo.  16  pages.     [I  have  a  copy  of  this.] 

1657.  Mather's  [Richard]  Farewell  Exhortation  to  the  Church 
and  People  of  Dorchester,  in  New  England.     "  Printed    at  Cam 
bridge."     4to.  28  pages. 

The  Life  and  Death  of  that  deservedly  Famous  Mr.  John  Cotton, 
the  late  Reverend  Teacher  of  the  Church  of  Christ  at  Boston  in 
New  England.  Collected  out  of  the  Writings  and  Information  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  John  Davenport,  of  New  Haven,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel 
Whiting  at  Lynne,  the  pious  Widow  of  the  Deceased,  and  others. 
And  compiled  by  his  unworthy  Successour.  4to.  56  pages. 

1658.  Pierson's  Catechism.     [In  the  Indian  language,  for  the 
use  of  the  Indiana  in  New  Haven  jurisdiction.] 

1659.  Versions  of  the  Psalms  in  the  Indian  Language. 

1660.  The  Humble  Petition  and  Address  of  the  General  Court 
Sitting  at  Boston,  New  England,  unto  the  High  and  Mighty  Prince, 
Charles  the  Second.     4to,  8  pages. 

1660.     The  Book  of  the  General  Lawes  and  Libertyes  concerning 

the  Inhabitants  of  the  Massachusets,  collected  out  of  the  Records 

of  the  General  Court,  for  the  several  years  wherein  they  were  made 

and  established.     And  now  Revised  by  the  same  Court,  and  disposed 

5 


66  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

into  an  Alphabetical  order,  and  published  by  the  same  Authority  in 
the  General  Court  holden  at  Boston,  in  May,  1049.  Whosoever 
therefore  resisteth  the  Power,  resisteth  the  Ordinance  of  God,  an'd 
they  that  resist,  receive  to  themselves  damnation.  Rom.  13  :  2. 
Folio,  100  pages.  Cambridge,  [N.  E.]  Printed  according  to  Order 
of  the  General  Court,  1660.  [This  volume  has  a  Preface  addressed 
"  To  our  Beloved  Brethren  and  Neighbours  the  Inhabitants  of  the 
Massachusets,  the  Governour,  Assistants,  and  Deputies  Assembled 
in  the  General  Court  of  that  Jurisdiction  wish  Grace  and  Peace  in 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  signed,  "  By  Order  of  the  Generall  Court, 
Edward  Rawson,  Secret."  There  is  an  Alphabetical  Table  or  Index 
at  the  end.  It  was  printed  by  Samuel  Green,  but  his  name  does 
not  appear  in  the  imprint.  Only  one  perfect  copy  of  this  work  can 
be  found,  and  that  is  in  the  Library  of  the  American  Antiquarian 
Society.] l 

1661.  The  New  Testament  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
Translated  into  the  Indian  Language  and  ordered  to  be  printed  by 
the  Commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies  in  New  England,  at  the 
Charge,  and  with  the  Consent  of  the  Corporation  in  England  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  amongst  the  Indians  in  New  England. 
The  Indian  title  is  thus,  Wusku  Wuttestamentum  Nul-Lordumun 
Jesus  Christ  Nuppoquohwussuaeneunmn.  With  marginal  notes. 
Printed  by  Samuel  Green  and  Marmaduke  Johnson.  The  whole  in 
the  Indian  language,  except  having  two  title  pages,  one  of  which  is 
in  English.  Quarto.  \_Appendix  E.~\  [Some  copies  were  dedicated 
to  the  king.] 

1661.  Eliot's  [John]  Catechism.  [In  the  Indian  language.] 
Second  edition.  [1000  copies  were  printed.] 

1661.  The  Psalms  of  David  in  Indian  Verse,  entitled,    Warne 
Ketoohomae  Uketoohomaongash  David.     4to.     [This  Indian  version 
accompanied  the  New  Testament,  and  when  the  Old  Testament  was 
finished  they  were  bound  up  together.] 

1662.  Propositions  to  the  Elders  and  other  Messengers  of  the 
Churches,   concerning  Baptisme.     Recommended  by  the    General 
Court.     4to,  48  pages'. 

1662.  Answer  of  the  Elders  and  other  Messengers  of  the 
Churches  assembled  at  Boston  1662,  to  the  Questions  proposed  to 
them  by  order  of  the  Honoured  General  Court.  4to.  60  pages. 

1662.     An  Almanack  for  1662. 


1  It  was  Secretary  Rawson's  private  copy.—  //. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  67 

1662.  Anti-Synodalia  Scripta  Americana.     By  John  Allin  of 
Dedham.     4to.  38  pages.1      [No  printer's  name  nor  year  are  men 
tioned.     This  was  reprinted  in  London.] 

1663.  The  Holy  Bible  :  Containing  the  Old  Testament  and  the 
New.     Translated  into   the  Indian    Language,   and   ordered  to  be 
printed  by  the   Commissioners  of  the    United  Colonies  in  New  Eng 
land,  at  the  Charge  and  with  the  Consent  of  the    Corporation  in 
England  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  amongst  the  Indians  in 
New  England.     [Appendix  EJ}     Quarto.     Printed  by  Samuel  Green 
and  Marmaduke  Johnson.     It  had  marginal  notes ;  and  also  an  Indian 
title  page,  for  which  see  the  second  edition  in  1685.     [This  work 
was  printed  with  new  types,  full  faced  bourgeois  on  brevier  body 
cast  for  the  purpose,  and  on  good  paper.     The  New  Testament  which 
was  first  printed  in   1661,  was  on  the  same  types  and  like  paper. 
The  Old  Testament  was  three  years  in  the  press. 

1663.  An  Almanack  for  1663.  By  Israel  Chauncy.  ^iXo^a^^g- 
Printed  by  S.  Green  and  M.  Johnson. 

1663.  Davenport's  [John,  of  New  Haven]  Another  Essay  for 
investigation  of  the  Truth  in  answer  to  two  Questions  concerning, 
I.  The  subject  of  Baptisme.  II.  The  Consociation  of  Churches. 
Cambridge.  Printed  by  Samuel  Green  and  Marmaduke  Johnson. 
4to.  82  pages. 

1663.     Shepard's  Church  Membership.     4to.  50  pages. 

1663.     Shepard's  Letter  on  the  Church  Membership  of  Children 

and  their  Right  to  Baptisme.     Printed  by  S.  Green  and  M.  Johnson. 

—     Certain  Positions  out  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,   premissed 

to  the  whole  ensuing  Discourse.     Printed  at  Cambridge.     4to.  80 

pages.     [Year  and  printer's  name  not  mentioned.] 

1663.  Cotton's  [John]  Discourse  on  Civil  Government  in  a  New 
Plantation.  4to.  24  pages.  Printed  by  S.  Green  and  M.  Johnson. 

1663.  Higginson's  [John]  Cause  of  God  and  his  People  in  New 
England.  An  Election  Sermon  at  Boston,  1663.  4to.  28  pages. 

1663.  Several  Laws  and  Orders  made  at  Several  General  Courts. 
In  the  years  1661,  1662,  1663.     Printed  and  Published  by  order  of 
the  General  Court.     8   pages,   Folio.     No    imprint.     [Printed  by 
Samuel  Green.] 

1664.  Shepard's  Sincere  Convert.     12mo. 

1664.  Anti-Synodalia  Americana.  4to.  100  pages.  Second 
edition.  Reprinted  at  Cambridge  by  S.  G.  &  M.  J.,  for  Hezekiah 
Usher  of  Boston. 


1  This  is  an  error,  the  author  was  Rev.  Charles  Chauncy,  John  Allin 
wrote  a  reply. —  H. 


68  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

1664.  Animadversions  upon  the  Anti-Synodalia  Americana, 
printed  in  Old  England  in  the  Name  of  the  Dissenting  Brethren 
in  the  Synod  held  at  Boston  in  New  England  1662,  and  written 
by  John  Allin,  Pastor  of  the  Church  in  Dedham.  4to.  86  pages. 
Keprinted  by  S.  Green  and  M.  Johnson. 

1664.  Defence  of  the  Answers  and  Arguments  of  the  Synod 
met  at  Boston  in  the  yeare  1662.  4to.  150  pages.  Printed  by  S. 
Green  &  M.  Johnson,  for  Hezekiah  Usher  of  Boston.  By  Richard 
Mather. 

1664.  Defence  of  the  Synod  by  some  of  the  Elders.  48  pages, 
small  type.  Printed  by  S.  G.  &  M.  J.,  for  Hezekiah  Usher  of 
Boston. 

1664.  Several  Laws  and  Orders  made  at  Several  General  Courts. 
In  the  years  1661,  1662,  1664.  Printed  and  Published  by  Order 
of  the  General  Court.  4  pages,  folio.  No  imprint.  [Printed  by 
S.  Green.] 

1664.  Baxter's  Call  to  the  Unconverted.  Translated  into  the 
Indian  Language  by  the  Rev.  John  Eliot.  Small  8vo.  130  pages. 
[1000  copies  were  printed.] 

1664.  The  Psalter.  Translated  into  the  Indian  Language  by 
the  Rev.  John  Eliot.  Small  8vo.  150  pages.  [500  copies  were 
printed.] 

1664.  Indian  Grammar.  About  60  pages.  4to.  [No  year  is 
mentioned,  as  I  find  is  often  the  case  with  other  printers  besides 
Green,  but  it  must  have  been  printed  about  1664.] 

1664.  Whiting's  [Samuel]  Discourse  on  the  Last  Judgment. 
12mo.  170  pages.  Printed  by  S.  G.  and  M.  J. 

1664.  Chauncy's  [Israel]  Almanack  for   1664.     Printed  by  S. 
Green  and  M.  Johnson. 

1665.  Nowell's  [Alexander]  Almanack  for  1665. 

1665.  Collection  of  the  Testimonies  of  the  Fathers  of  the  New 
England  Churches  respecting  Baptism.  4to.  32  pages. 

1665.  Laws  and  Orders  made  at  the  General  Courts  in 
May  3,  August  1,  and  October  11,  1665.  Printed  and  Published 
by  order  of  the  General  Court.  4  pages,  folio.  No  imprint. 
[Printed  by  Samuel  Green.] 

1665.  Manitowompae  Pomantamoonk :  Sampwshanau  Christi- 
anoh  uttoh  woh  an  Pomantog  wussikkitteahonat  God.  12mo.  400 
pages.  [Written  in  the  language  of  the  aborigines  of  New  England.] 
The  Psalms,  Hymns,  and  Spiritual  Songs  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testament,  Faithfully  Translated  into  English  Metre.  For  the 
Use,  Edification  and  Comfort  of  the  Saints  in  publick  and  private, 


MASSACHUSETTS.  69 

especially  in  New  England.  Small  12mo.  100  pages,  two  columns 
to  each,  in  nonpareil.  "  Cambridge.  Printed  for  Hezekiali  Usher 
of  Boston." 

[This  was,  I  believe,  the  third  edition  of  the  New  England  Ver 
sion  of  the  Psalms  after  it  had  been  revised  and  improved  by  presi 
dent  Dunster,  &c.,  and  the  fifth,  including  all  the  former  editions. 
[Appendix  E.~]  I  have  a  complete  copy  of  this  edition,  but  the  name  of 
the  printer,  and  the  year  in  which  it  was  printed,  are  not  mentioned. 
It  is  calculated  by  being  printed  in  a  small  page,  with  a  very  small 
type,  to  bind  up  with  English  editions  of  the  pocket  Bible ;  and,  as 
the  printing  is  executed  by  a  good  workman,  and  is  the  best  that  I 
have  seen  from  the  Cambridge  press,  I  conclude,  therefore,  it  could 
not  be  printed  by  Green  before  the  arrival  of  Marmaduke  Johnson 
in  1660  ;  I  have  no  doubt  it  was  printed  under  Johnson's  care;  and, 
probably,  soon  after  the  Indian  Bible  came  from  the  press  in  1663. 
Johnson  was  a  good  printer,  and  so  called  by  the  corporation  in 
England,  who  engaged,  and  sent  him  over,  to  assist  Green  in  print 
ing  that  work.  Although  in  this  edition  the  typography  far  exceeds 
in  neatness  any  work  then  printed  in  the  country,  it  is  very  incor 
rect;  but  this  might  have  been  more  the  fault  of  the  corrector  of 
the  press,  than  of  the  printer.  My  belief  that  it  was  published 
about  the  year  1664,  or  1665,  is  confirmed  by  its  being  printed  for 
Hezekiah  Usher,  the  only  bookseller  that  I  can  find  an  account  of 
at  that  time,  in  New  England.  He  dealt  largely  in  merchandise, 
and  was  then  agent  to  the  corporation  in  England,  for  propagating 
the  Gospel  in  New  England.  It  is  a  curious  fact,  that  nonpareil 
types  were  used  so  early  in  this  country ;  I  have  not  seen  them  in 
any  other  book  printed  either  at  Cambridge,  or  Boston,  before  the 
revolution ;  even  brevier  types  had  been  but  seldom  used  in  the 
printing  houses  in  Boston,  earlier  than  1760.  The  nonpareil  used 
for  the  Psalms  was  new,  and  a  very  handsome  faced  letter.] 

1665.  The  Conditions  for  New  Planters  in  the  territories  of  his 
Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  York.  Printed  at  Cambridge,  on  the 
face  of  half  a  sheet. 

1665.  Practice  of  Piety.     [Translated  into  the  Indian  language.] 
Small  Svo.  about  160  pages. 

1666.  Whiting's  [Samuel,  of  Lynn]  Meditations  upon  Genesis 
xviii,  from  ver.  23  to  the  end  of  the  chapter.     12mo.  350  pages. 
"  Printed  and  Sold  at  Cambridge."     [No  printer's  name,  but  un 
doubtedly  from  Green's  press.] 

1666.  Flint's  [Josiah]  Almanack  for  1666.  $,Xo|ua^,  after 
Flint's  name.  "  Printed  Anno  Dom.  1666." 


70  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

1666.  Several  Laws  and   Orders  made   at  the   General  Court 
Held  at  Boston  the  23d  of  May,  1666,  and  10th  of  October  follow 
ing.     Printed  and  published  by  Order  of  the  General   Court.     4 
pages,  folio.     [Printed  by  S.  Green.] 

1667.  Mitchell's   [Jonathan]  Nehemiah    upon    the   Wall.     An 
Election    Sermon,    May,    1667.     "  Printed    at   Cambridge."     [No 
printer's  name.] 

1667.  Practice  of  Piety.  Translated  into  the  Indian  language, 
by  the  Rev.  John  Eliot.  Second  edition. 

1667.  Beakenbury's  [Samuel]  Almanack  for  1667. 

1668.  Dudley's  [Joseph]  Almanack  for  1668. 

1668.  Elegy  on  the  Rev.  Thomas  Shepard,  Pastor  of  the  Church 
in  Charlestown.  By  Urian  Oakes.  4to. 

1668.  Wilsoniana  Memoria.  Or  the  Life  of  the  Rev.  John 
Wilson,  12ino. 

1668.  Several  Laws  and  Orders  made  at  the  General  Courts  of 
Election,  held  at  Boston,  New  England,  the  29th  of  April,  1668. 
Printed  and  Published  by  their  Order.  12  pages,  folio.  No  im 
print.  [Printed  by  S.  Green.] 

1668.  Several  Laws  and  Orders  made  at  the  General  Court  held 
at  Boston,   in  New   England,   October   14th,  1668.     Printed   and 
Published    by    their    Order.       16    pages,    folio.       [Printed    by    S. 
Green.] 

"  1669.      Morton's  [Nathaniel]  New   England's    Memorial.      216 
pages,  4to.     Printed  by  S.  G.  &  M.  J.  for  John  Usher  of  Boston. 

1669.  An  Almanack  for  1669.     By  J.  B.     Printed  by  S.  G.  & 
M.J. 

>  1670.     Danforth's  Election  Sermon  at  Boston,   1670.     4to.  24 
pages.     Printed  by  S.  Green  and  M.  Johnson. 

1670.  Stough ton's  [William]  Election  Sermon,  1670.     4to. 

i    1670.     An  Almanack  for  1670.     By  J.  R.     Printed  by  S.  G.  & 
M.  J. 

.1670.  Life  and  Death  of  that  Reverend  Man  of  God,  Mr.  Rich 
ard  Mather,  Teacher  of  the  Church  in  Dorchester,  New  England. 
4to.  42  pages.  Printed  by  S.  Green  and  M.  Johnson. 

1670.  Walley's  [Thomas,  of  Boston]  Balm  of  Gilead  to  heal 
Sion's  Wounds.  An  Election  Sermon,  preached  at  New  Plimouth, 
1669.  20  pages,  4to.  Printed  by  S.  Green  and  M.  Johnson. 

1670.  Mather's  [Samuel]  Testimony  from  the  Scripture  against 
Idolatry  and  Superstition,  preached  in  Dublin  1660.  4to.  80  pages. 
[No  printer's  name.]  "  Reprinted  at  Cambridge." 


MASSACHUSETTS.  71 

1671.  Mather's  [Eleazar,  of  Northampton]  Exhortation  to  the 
present  and  succeeding  Generations.  4to.  32  pages.  Printed  by 
&  G.  &  M  J. 

1671.  An  Almanack  for  1671. 

1672.  An  Artillery  Election  Sermon  1672.     By  the  Rev.  Urian 
Oakes.     4to. 

1672.  Mather's  [Increase]  Word  to  the  present  and  succeeding 
Generations  of  New  England.  4to.  36  pages. 

1672.  Eye  Salve,  or  a  Watch  Word  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
unto  his  Churches,  especially  in  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts.  An 
Election  Sermon  preached  at  Boston  1672.  By  Thomas  Shepard, 
of  Charlestown.  4to.  56  pages. 

1672.  Allin's  [John,  of  Dedharu]  Spouse  of  Christ  coming  out 
of  Affliction  leaning  upon  her  Beloved.  4to.  32  pages.  "  Printed 
at  Cambridge  by  Samuel  Green,  and  are  to  be  Sold  by  John  Tappan 
of  Boston." 

1672.  The  General  Laws  and  Liberties  of  the  Massachusetts 
Colony,  Revised  and  alphabetically  arranged.  To  which  are  added, 
Precedents  and  Forms  of  things  frequently  used.  With  a  com 
plete  index  to  the  whole.  Re-printed  by  order  of  the  General 
Court  Holden  at  Boston,  May  15,  1672.  Edward  Rawson,  Seer. 
Whosoever  therefore  resisteth  the  Power,  resisteth  the  Ordinance  of 
God',  and  they  that  resist  shall  receive  to  themselves  damnation. 
Rom.  13,  2.  Folio,  200  pages.  [Well  printed.  There  is  a  small 
wooden  cut  of  the  colony  arms  as  a  frontispiece  opposite  to  the  title 
page,  indifferently  executed,  and  a  large  handsome  head  piece  cut 
on  wood  at  the  beginning  of  the  first  page  of  the  laws.  Printed  by 
S.  Green,  for  John  Usher  of  Boston.] 

1672.  The  Book  of  the  General  Laws  of  the  Inhabitants  of 
New  Plimouth,  collected  out  of  the  Records  of  the  General  Court. 
Published  by  the  Authority  of  the  General  Court  of  that  Jurisdic 
tion,  held  at  Plimouth  the  6th  day  of  June,  1671.  The  following 
text  of  scripture  is  in  the  title  page  —  Be  subject  [?]  to  every  Ordi 
nance  of  Man  for  the  Lord's  sake.  1  Pet.  ii.  13.  Folio.  50  pages. 

1672.     Indian  Logic  Primer.     By  John  Eliot. 

1672.  Several  "  Laws  and  Orders  "  made  afc  the  General  Court 
at  Boston,  1672.     8  pages.     Folio. 

1673.  The  Book  of  the  General  Laws  for  the  People  within  the 
Jurisdiction  of  Connecticut.     Collected  out  of  the  Records  of  the 
General  Court.     Lately  revised  and  published  by  the  Authority  of 
the  General  Court  of  Connecticut,  1672.     Has  a  text  from  scripture 


72  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

in  the  title  page,  viz. — Let  us  walk  honestly  as  in  the  Day,  not  in 
Rioting  and  Drunkenness ;  not  in  Chambering  and  Wantonness  ; 
not  in  Strife  and  Envying.  Rom.  xiii.  13. l  [There  is  a  small 
wooden  cut  of  the  arms  of  Connecticut  in  the  title  page.  The  arms 
are  fifteen  grape  vines,  with  a  hand  over  them  holding  a  scroll,  on 
which  is  this  motto. — Sustinet  qui  transtulit.~\  Folio.  76  pages. 

1673.  New  England  Pleaded  with,  and  pressed  to  Consider  the 
Things  which  concern  her  Peace.     An  Election  Sermon  1673.     By 
Urian  Oakes.     4to.  64  pages. 

1674.  Samuel  Torrey,  of  Weymouth.     Election  Sermon  at  Ply 
mouth.     4to. 

1674.  The  Unconquerable,  All-Conquering,  and  more  than  Con 
quering  Souldier,  or  the  Successful  Warre  which  a  Believer  wageth 
with  the  Enemies  of  his  Soul.  An  Artillery  Election  Sermon, 
June,  1672.  By  Urian  Oakes.  4to.  46  pages. 

1674.  David  Serving  his  Generation.  An  Election  Sermon  be 
fore  the  General  Court  of  New  Plimouth,  June,  1674.  By  Samuel 
Arnold  of  Marshfield.  4to.  24  pages.  Imprimatur  John  Oxen- 
bridge  and  Increase  Mather. 

1674.  Several  "Laws  and  Orders,"  made  at  the  General  Court 
at  Boston,  1674.  4  pages.  Folio. 

1674.  Moody's  [Joshua]  Souldiers  Spiritualized,  or  the  Christian 
Souldier  orderly  and  Strenuously  engaged  in  the  Spiritual  Warre, 
and  so  fighting  the  Good  Fight.  A  Sermon  preached  at  Boston  on 
Artillery  Election  1674.  4to.  48  pages. 

1674.  Fitch's  [James,  of  Norwich]  Holy  Connexion.     An  Elec 
tion  Sermon  at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  1674.     4to.  24  pages. 

1675.  Several  "Laws  and  Orders"  made  at  the  Sessions  of  the 
General  Court  at  Boston  in  1675.     Folio,  20  pages. 

1675.  Mather's  [Increase]  First  Principles  of  New  England 
concerning  the  subject  of  Baptisme  and  Church  Communion.  4to. 
56  pages. 

1675.  Mather's  [Increase]  Discourse  concerning  the  subject  of 
Baptisms.     4to.  82  pages. 

1676.  Heart  Garrisoned ;    or    the  Wisdome    and    Care  of  the 
Spiritual   Souldier  above  all  Things  to  Safeguard  his  Heart.     An 
Artillery  Election  Sermon.     By  Samuel  Willard.     4to.  24  pages. 

1676.  A  Brief  History  of  the  War  with  the  Indians  in  New 
England  from  June  24,  1675,  when  the  first  Englishman  was 


'In  Mr.  Brinley's  copy  the  citation  is  from  "  Rom.  13.  1.  2,"  two  more 
appropriate  verses. —  II. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  73 

murdered  by  the  Indians,  to  August,  1776,  when  Philip,  alias  Meta- 
coniet,  principal  Author  and  Beginner  of  the  War  was  slain.  By 
Increase  Mather.  4to.  56  pages. 

1677.  Several  "  Laws  and  Orders,"  made  at  the  first  Session  of 
the  General  Court  for  Elections  1677,  at  Boston.  Folio.  4  pages. 

1679.  An  Almanack  for  1679.     By  Philomath. 

1680.  Wusku    Wuttestamentum    Nul-lordumun    Jesus    Christ 
Nuppoquohwussuaeneumun.      [The  New  Testament  in  the  Indian 
Language.     The  greater  part,  including  the  title  page,  was  printed 
in  1680,  but  the  Testament  was  not  completed  till  the  year  following. 
This  was  a  second  edition  and  consisted  of  2,500  copies ;  500  of 
which  were  bound  up  with  the  Indian  Catechism,  and  the  remainder 
reserved  to  complete  a  second  edition  of  the  whole  Bible  which  came 
from  the  press  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1686. 

1680.  A  Confession  of  Faith  owned  and  consented  to  by  the 
Elders  and  Messengers  of  the  Churches  assembled  at  Boston,  May 
12,  1680,  being  the  Second  Session  of  that  Synod. 

1682.  Narrative  of  the  Captivity  and  Restoration  of  Mrs.  Mary 
Rowlandson.  8vo. 

1682.  Oakes's  [Urian]  Fast  Sermon,  delivered  at  Cambridge 
4to.  32  pages. 

1682.  Ornaments  for  the  Daughters  of  Zion;  or  the  Character 
and  Happiness  of  a  Virtuous  Woman.  By  Cotton  Mather.  12mo. 
116  pages.  Printed  by  S.  G.  &  B.  G.  for  Samuel  Phillips  of  Bos 
ton. 

1684.     An  Almanack  for  1684. 

1684.  Dennison's  [Daniel]  Irenicon ;  or  a  Salve  for  New  Eng 
land's  Sore.     8vo.  50  pages. 

1685.  The   New  England    Almanack  for  1686.     "Printed    at 
Cambridge  by  Samuel   Green,  sen.,  Printer  to  Harvard  Col.  A.  D. 
1685." 

1685.  The  Holy  Bible,  containing  the  Old  Testament  and  the 
New.  Translated  into  the  Indian  Language,  and  ordered  to  be 
printed  by  the  Commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies  in  New  Eng 
land,  &c.  This  was  a  second  edition  of  Eliot's  Indian  Bible ;  and, 
like  the  first,  it  had  marginal  notes,  and  an  Indian  translation  of  the 
New  England  Version  of  the  Psalms.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Cotton,  a  great 
proficient  in  the  Indian  language,  assisted  Mr.  Eliot  in  revising  and 
correcting  this  edition.  Both  editions  had  title  pages  in  English 
and  Indian.  The  title  in  the  Indian  language  is  as  follows  :  Mamvsse 
Wunneetupanatamwe  Up-Biblum  God  Naneeswe  Nukkone-Testament 
kah  wonk  Wusku  Testament.  Ne  quoshkinnumuk  nashpe  Wuttineu- 


74  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

moh  Christ  noh  asoowesit  John  Eliot.  Nahehtoeu  ontchetoe 
Printewoomuk.  Cambridge:  Printeuoop  nashpe  Samuel  Green.  4to. 
It  was  six  years  in  the  press.  Two  thousand  copies  were  printed.1 
It  was  not  so  expensive  as  the  first  edition.  Mr.  Eliot  had  the 
management  of  it;  and,  in  his  letters  to  the  Hon.  Robert  Boyle, 
president  of  the  corporation  for  propagating  the  gospel  among  the 
Indians  in  New  England,  he  acknowledges  the  reception  of  £900 
sterling,  in  three  payments,  for  carrying  it  through  the  press. 

1685.  Manitowampae  poniantamoonk  sampwshanau  Christianoh. 
&c.,  second  edition,  400  pp.  small  8vo.     [Practice  of  Piety.] 

1686.  The  New  England  Almanack  for  1687. 

1687.  Practice  of  Piety.     [Translated  into  the  Indian  language.] 
Third  edition. 

1687.  Eliot's  Catechism.  [In  the  Indian  language.  This  was 
a  third  or  fourth  edition  printed  at  the  expense  of  the  corporation.] 

1687.  Primer,  in  the  Indian  Language.  [It  had  gone  through 
several  previous  editions  at  the  expense  of  the  corporation.] 

1689.  Sampwutteahae  Quinnuppekompauaenin,  Wahuwomook 
oggussemesuog  Sampwutteahae  Wunnarnptarnwaenuog,  &c.  Noh 
asoowesit  Thomas  Shepard.  This  is  Shepard's  Sincere  Convert, 
translated  into  Indian  by  the  Rev.  John  Eliot,  and  was  licensed  to 
be  printed  by  Grindal  Rawsou.  12mo,  164  pages. 

1691.  An  Almanack.  By  John  Tully.  "Cambridge.  Printed 
by  Samuel  Green  and  B.  Green,  and  are  to  be  sold  by  Nicholas 
Buttolph  at  Gutteridge's  Coffee  House,  in  Boston,  1691." 

1691.  Nashauanittue  Meninnunk  wutch  Mukkiesog  Wassese- 
mumun  wutch  Sogkodtunganash  Naneeswe  Testamentsash ;  wutch 
Ukkesitchippooonganoo  Ukketeahogkounooh.  Noh  asoowesit  John 
Cotton.  [This  is  John  Cotton's  Spiritual  Milk  for  American  Babes. 
Translated  by  Grindal  Rawson.]  12mo.  14  pages.  [See  old  edi 
tions  of  the  New  England  Primer.]  Printeuoop  nashpe  Samuel 
Green  kah  Bartholomew  Green. 

1691.  Ornaments  for  the  Daughters  of  Zion ;  or  the  Character 
and  Happiness  of  a  Virtuous  Woman.  By  Cotton  Mather.  12mo. 
114  pages.  Re-Printed  by  Samuel  Green  and  Bartholomew  Green 
for  Nicholas  Buttolph,  at  Gutteridge's  Coffee  House,  Boston. 


1  Letter  from  the  Rev.  John  Eliot  to  the  Hon.  Robert  Boyle  in  London. 
Mr.  Eliot  gave  a  part  of  his  salary  toward  printing  the  work.  It  went  to 
the  press  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1G80,  and  was  not  completed  till 
the  beginning  of  1080.  Mr.  Eliot  lived  till  1GUO. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  75 

1691.  Things  to   be   looked   for.     An    Election    Sermon.     By 
Cotton  Mather.     12mo.  84  pages.     Reprinted  by  Samuel  Green  and 
Bartholomew  Green. 

1692.  Tally's  Almanack  for  1692.     Printed  by  Samuel  Green 
and  Bartholomew  Green  for  Samuel  Phillips  of  Boston. 


MARMADUKE  JOHNSON  was  an  Englishman,  arid  had  been 
bred  to  the  printing  business  in  London.  The  corpora 
tion  in  England  for  propagating  the  gospel  among  the 
Indians  engaged  and  sent  him  over  to  America  in  1660, 
to  assist  in  printing  the  Bible  in  Indian. 

In  a  letter  dated,  Cooper's  Hall  in  London,  April  28th, 
1660,  and  directed  to  the  commissioners  of  the  United  Colo 
nies,  who  had  the  whole  management  of  Indian  affairs,  the 
corporation  writes :  "  Wee  haue  out  of  our  desire  to  fur 
ther  a  worke  of  soe  great  consernment,  [printing  the 
whole  Bible  in  the  Indian  language]  agreed  with  an  able 
printer  for  three  yeares  vpon  the  tearmes  and  conditions 
enclosed.  Wee  desire  you  at  the  earnest  request  of  Mr. 
Johnson  the  printer,  and  for  his  incurragement  in  this 
undertaking  of  printing  the  bible  in  the  Indian  language, 
his  name  may  bee  mentioned  with  others  as  a  printer  and 
person  that  hath  bine  instrumentall  therin ;  for  whose 
diet,  lodging  and  washing  wee  desire  you  to  take  care  of." 

The  commissioners  in  their  answer  to  the  corporation, 
dated  New  Haven  the  10th  of  September,  1660,  observe : 
"Such  order  is  taken  by  ad  nice  of  Mr.  Eliott  Mr.  Ysher 
Mr.  Green  and  Mr.  Johnson  that  the  Impression  of  the 
ould  and  New  Testament  shalbee  carryed  on  together 
which  they  have  alredy  begun  and  Resolue  to  prosecute 
with  all  diligence ;  a  sheet  of  Geneses  wee  have  seen  which 
wee  have  ordered  shalbee  Transmitted  vnto  you ;  the 
printers  doubte  not  but  to  print  a  sheete  euery  weeke  and 
compute  the  whole  to  amount  to  a  hundred  and  fifty 
sheets.  Mr.  Johnson  wilbee  gratifyed  with  the  honour 


76  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

of  the  Impression  and  acomodated  in  other  respects  wee 
hope  to  content."  The  commissioners  this  year  charged 
the  corporation  with  £1  4s.  paid  for  "  the  expenses  of 
Johnson  the  printer  att  his  first  arrivall  before  he  settled 
at  Cambridge." 

In  a  letter  dated,  Boston  Sept.  10,  1662,  and  addressed 
to  the  Hon.  Robert  Boyle,  governor  of  the  corporation  in 
England,  the  commissioners  of  theUnited  Colonies  observe  : 
"  The  bible  is  now  about  half  done ;  and  constant  pro- 
gresse  therm  is  made ;  the  other  halfe  is  like  to  bee  finished 
in  a  yeare ;  the  future  charge  is  vncertain ;  wee  have  beer 
with  sent  twenty  coppies  of  the  New  Testament  [in  Indian] 
to  bee  disposed  of  as  youer  honors  shall  see  meet.  The 
trust  youer  honors  hath  seen  meet  to  repose  in  vs  for  the 
manageing  of  this  worke  we  shall  endeauor  in  all  faithful 
ness  to  discharge.  Wee  craue  leave  att  present  for  the 
preuenting  of  an  objection  that  may  arise  concerning  the 
particulars  charged  for  the  printing  wherin  you  will  find 
2  sheets  att  three  pounds  ten  shillings  a  sheet,  and  the 
rest  butt  att  50  shillings  a  sheet,  the  reason  wherof  lyes 
heer :  It  pleased  the  honored  corporation  to  send  ouer  one 
Marmeduke  Johnson  a  printer  to  attend  the  worke  on 
condition  as  they  will  enforme  you ;  whoe  hath  caryed 
heer  very  vnworthyly  of  which  hee  hath  bine  openly  Con 
victed  and  sencured  in  some  of  our  Courts  although  as 
yett  noe  execution  of  sentence  against  him :  peculiare 
fauor  haueing  bine  showed  him  with  respect  to  the  cor 
poration  that  sent  him  ouer;  but  notwithstanding  all 
patience  and  lenitie  vsed  towards  him  hee  hath  proued 
uery  idle  and  nought  and  absented  himsclfe  from  the 
worke  more  than  halfe  a  yeare  att  one  time ;  for  want  of 
whose  assistance  the  printer  [Green]  by  his  agreenient 
with  vs  was  to  haue  the  allowance  of  21  Ib.  the  which  is 
to  bee  defallcated  out  of  his  sallery  in  England  by  the 
honored  Corporation  there." 


MASSACHUSETTS.  77 

The  commissioners,  in  this  letter  to  the  corporation, 
mentioned  some  bad  conduct  of  Johnson,  of  which  he 
was  convicted,  but  they  do  not  particularize  his  offence. 
I  find  in  the  records  of  the  county  court  of  Middlesex  for 
1662,  that  in  April  of  that  year,  Johnson  was  indicted  for 
"  alluring  the  daughter  of  Samuel  Green,  printer,  and 
drawing  away  her  affection  without  the  consent  of  her 
father."  This  was  a  direct  breach  of  a  law  of  the  colony. 
Johnson  was  convicted,  fined  five  pounds  for  that  offence ; 
and  having  a  wife  in  England,  was  ordered  "  to  go  home 
to  her,"  on  penalty  of  twenty  pounds  for  neglecting  so  to 
do.  At  the  same  court  Johnson  was  fined  twenty  pounds 
for  threatening  the  life  of  any  man  who  should  pay  his 
addresses  to  Green's  daughter.  In  October,  1663,  Johnson, 
not  having  left  the  country  agreeably  to  his  sentence,  was 
fined  twenty  pounds,  and  ordered  "  to  be  committed  till 
he  gave  security  that  he  would  depart  home  to  England 
to  his  wife  the  first  opportunity."  Samuel  Goffe  and  John 
Bernard  were  his  sureties  that  he  should  depart  the 
country  within  six  weeks,  or  in  a  vessel  then  bound  to 
England.  Johnson,  however,  for  some  cause  that  cannot 
be  ascertained,  [the  records  of  the  next  county  court  be 
ing  destroyed  by  fire]  was  permitted  to  remain  in  the 
country.  His  wrife  might  have  died ;  he  had  influential 
friends ;  and  made  his  peace  with  Green,  with  whom  he 
was  afterwards  concerned  in  printing  several  books. 

The  commissioners  received  an  answer  to  the  letter  last 
mentioned,  from  the  governor  of  the  corporation,  dated 
London  April  9th,  1663,  at  the  close  of  which  the  go 
vernor  remarks  :  "  Conserning  Marmeduke  Johnson  the 
printer  wee  are  sorry  hee  hath  soe  miscarryed  by  which 
meanes  the  printing  of  the  bible  hath  bin  retarded  we  are 
resolved  to  default  the  21  Ib.  you  mention  out  of  his  sallary. 
Mr.  Elliott  whose  letter  beares  date  three  monthes  after 
youers,  writes  that  Johnson  is  againe  Returned  into  the 


78  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

worke  whose  brother  alsoe  hath  bine  with  vs  and  gives  vs 
great  assurance  of  his  brothers  Reformation  and  following 
his  busines  diligently  for  the  time  to  come  ;  and  hee  being 
(as  Mr.  Elliott  writes)  an  able  and  vsefull  man  in  the 
presse  we  haue  thought  fitt  further  to  make  tryall  of  him 
for  one  yeare  longer  and  the  rather  because  vpon  Mr. 
Elliotts  motion  and  the  goodnes  of  the  worke;  wee  have 
thought  fitt  and  ordered  that  the  Psalmes  of  Dauid  in 
meter  shallbee  printed  in  the  Indian  language,  and  soe 
wee  hope  that  the  said  Johnson  performing  his  promise  of 
amendment  for  time  to  come  may  bee  vsefull  in  the  fur 
thering  of  this  worke  which  we  soe  much  desire  the  finish 
ing  of:  We  haue  no  more  but  comend  you  to  the  Lord. 
Signed  in  the  name  and  by  the  appointment  of  the  Cor 
poration  for  the  propagating  of  the  Gospell  in  America. 
Per  Robert  Boyle  Gouernor." 

The  commissioners  wrote  from  Boston,  Sept.  18th,  1663, 
to  the  corporation,  as  was  their  annual  custom,  rendering 
a  particular  account  of  their  concerns,  and  of  the  expendi 
tures  of  the  money  of  the  corporation.  Respecting  John 
son  they  observe  :  "  Some  time  after  our  last  letter  Mar- 
meduke  Johnson  Returned  to  the  Presse  and  hath  carried 
himselfe  Indifferently  well  since  soe  fair  as  wee  know  but 
the  bible  being  finished  and  little  other  worke  presenting; 
wee  dismised  him  att  the  end  of  the  tearme  you  had  con 
tracted  with  him  for ;  but  vnderstanding  youer  honorable 
Corporation  hath  agreed  with  him  for  another  yeare ;  wee 
shall  Indeavour  to  Imploy  him  as  wee  can  by  printing  the 
Psalmes  and  another  little  Treatise  of  Mr..  Baxters  which 
Mr.  Elliott  is  translateing  into  the  Indian  language  which 
is  thought  may  bee  vsefull  and  profitable  to  the  Indians; 
and  yett  there  will  not-bee  full  Irnployment  for  him ;  and 
for  after  times  our  owne  printer  wilbee  sufficiently  able  to 
print  of  any  other  worke  that  wilbee  necessary  for  theire 


MASSACHUSETTS.  79 

vse  soe  that  att  the  yeares  end  hee  may  be  dismised ;  or 
sooner  if  hee  please :  and  If  there  bee  occation  further  to 
Imploy  him  It  were  much  better  to  contract  with  him  heer 
to  print  by  the  sheete  than  by  allowing  him  standing 
wages :  Wee  were  forced  vpon  his  earnest  Request  to  lett 
him  fiue  pounds  in  parte  of  his  wages  to  supply  his  present 
nessesitie  which  must  bee  defaulted  by  youer  honors  with 
his  brother  :  his  last  yeare  by  agreement  with  him  begin- 
eth  the  20th  of  August  last  from  the  end  of  his  former 
contract  till  that  time  hee  was  out  of  this  Imployment 
and  followed  his  own  occacions." 

The  corporation  in  their  next  letter  to  the  commissioners 
write :  "  Concerning  Marrneduke  Johnson  the  printer 
whose  Demeanor  hath  not  been  suitable  to  what  hee 
promised  wee  shall  leave  him  to  youerselues  to  dismisse 
him  as  soone  as  his  yeare  is  expired  if  you  soe  think  fit." 

The  next  meeting  of  the  Commissioners  was  at  Hart 
ford,  September  1,  1664  ;  they  then  informed  the  corpora 
tion  in  England,  that  they  had  "  dismised  Marmeduke 
Johnson  the  Printer  att  the  end  of  his  tearme  agreed  for 
hairing  Improued  him  as  well  as  wee  could  for  the  yeare 
past  by  imploying  him  with  our  owne  printer  to  print  such 
Indian  workes  as  could  be  prepared  which  hee  was  not 
able  to  doe  alone  with  such  other  English  Treatises  which 
did  present ;  for  which  allowance  hath  bine  made  propor 
tionable  to  his  laboure;  some  time  hath  bine  lost  for  want 
of  imployment  but  for  after  time  wee  hope  to  haue  all 
books  for  the  Indians  vse  printed  vpon  ezier  tearmes  by 
our  owne  printer  especially  if  it  please  youer  honers  to 
send  ouer  a  fonte  of  Pica  letters  Roman  and  Italian  which 
are  much  wanting  for  printeing  the  practice  of  piety  and 
other  workes ;  and  soe  when  the  Presses  shallbee  Improued 
for  the  vse  of  the  English  wee  shalbe  carefull  that  due 
ulowance  be  made  to  the  Stocke  for  the  same ;  It  seemed 
Mr.  Johnson  ordered  all  his  Sallery  to  be  receiued  and 


80  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

disposed  of  in  England  which  hath  put  him  to  some 
straightes  heer  which  forced  vs  to  allow  him  fiue  pounds 
formerly  (as  we  Intimated  in  our  last)  and  since  hee  hath 
taken  vp  the  sume  of  four  pounds  all  which  is  to  be 
accoumpted  as  parte  of  his  Sallery  for  the  last  yeare  ;  the 
remainder  wherof  wee  doubt  not  youer  honors  will  satisfy 
there." 

Before  the  Bible  was  finished,  Johnson,  being  in  great 
want  of  money,  applied  to  the  commissioners  of  the  United 
Colonies  to  pay  him  his  wages  here  instead  of  receiving 
them,  agreeably  to  contract,  in  England.  Upon  which  the 
commissioners  "  ordered  in  An s ware  to  the  request  of 
Marmeduke  Johnson  for  payment  of  his  wages  heer  in 
New  England;  notwithstanding  his  couenant  with  the 
Corporation  to  receiue  the  same  in  England  which  hee 
sayeth  is  detained  from  him;  which  yett  not  appearing 
to  the  comissioners  they  could  not  giue  any  order  for  the 
payment  of  it  heer;  but  vpon  his  earnest  request  that 
there  might  bee  some  Impowered  to  relieue  him  in  case  it 
could  appeer  before  the  next  meeting  of  the  Comissioners 
that  noe  payment  was  made  to  him  in  England  the  Comis 
sioners  of  the  Massachusetts  Collonie  is  Impowered  to  act 
therein  according  to  theire  Discretion." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Eliot, l  who  translated  the  Bible  into  the 
Indian  language,  appears  to  have  been  very  friendly  to 
Johnson.  After  he  was  dismissed  from  employment  at 
the  press  of  the  corporation,  Mr.  Eliot  proposed  to  the 
commissioners  in  September,  1667,  that  Johnson  should 
have  "  the  font  of  letters  [types]  which  the  Corporation 
sent  over  for  their  vse  by  him,  when  he  came  from  Eng 
land,"  and  which  had  been  but  little  worn,  at  the  price 
they  cost  in  England,  which  was  £31  17s.  8d.  sterling; 


'Mr.  Eliot  was  by  some  styled  "  Apostolus  nostrorum  Temporum  inter 
Indos  Nov  Angliaj."    He  died  1690,  aged  80. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  81 

to  which  proposal   the   commissioners   assented.     These 
types  he  received  in  part  payment  of  his  salary. 

In  1670,  April  28th,  Johnson,  being  released  by  death 
or  divorce  from  his  wife  in  England,  married  Ruth  Cane 
of  Cambridge,  which  is  recorded  in  the  register  of  the 
town  for  that  year. 

In  September,  1672,  the  commissioners  ordered  their 
agent,  Hezekiah  Usher,  to  pay  Johnson  £6  "  for  printing, 
stitching  and  cutting  of  a  thousand  Indian  Logick  Primers." 
This  is  the  last  business  I  can  find  performed  by  Johnson 
for  the  corporation.  His  name  appeared  after  Green's  in 
the  imprint  of  the  first  edition  of  the  Indian  translation 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  and  to  several  other  books 
which  were  not  printed  for  the  corporation  for  propagating 
the  gospel  among  the  Indians.  It  is  not  probable  that  they 
had  any  regular  partnership,  but  printed  a  book  in  con 
nexion  when  convenient.  I  have  seen  no  book  with  his 
name  in  the  imprint  after  1674. 

Johnson  was  constable  of  Cambridge  in  1673,  and  per 
haps  some  years  preceding.  In  April,  1674,  the  county 
court  allowed  him  "  his  bill  of  costs,  amounting  to  three 
shillings;  and  ten  shillings  and  six  pence  for  journeys 
that  were  by  law  to  be  paid  by  the  county  treasurer."  It 
appears  that  he  was  poor,  and  rather  indolent.  He  de 
parted  this  life  in  1675,  and  his  wife  soon  followed  him. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  Middlesex  records, 
vol.  in,  p.  176.  "  At  a  County  Court  held  at  Charlestowne 
June  19,  1677.  Mr.  John  Hayward  Attorney  in  behalfe 
of  the  Commissioners  of  the  United  Coloneys  pl'ff  against 
Jonathan  Cane,  Executor  to  the  last  will  and  testament  of 
Ruth  Johnson  administratrix  to  the  estate  of  her  husband 
Marmaduke  Johnson  deceased,  in  an  action  of  the  case 
for  deteyning  a  font  of  Letters,  bought  by  the  said  John 
son  with  money  yt-  he  received  for  y*'  end  and  use  of  ye- 
Honourable  Corporation  in  London  constituted  by  his 
6 


82  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Majestie  for  propagating  of  the  gospell  to  the  Indians  in 
New  England,  and  also  for  deteyning  a  Printers  chase, 
and  other  implements  that  belong  to  a  Printing  Presse, 
and  is  appertejning  to  the  said  Indian  Stocke  according 
to  attachmt.  dated  8, 4,  77.  Both  parties  appeared  &  joyned 
issue  in  the  case.  The  Jury  having  heard  their  respective 
pleas  &  evidences  in  the  case,  brought  in  their  verdict, 
finding  for  the  pl've  that  the  Defdt.  shall  deliver  the  wt. 
of  Letters  expressed  in  the  attachment,  with  other  mate 
rials  expressed  in  the  attachment,  or  the  value  thereof  in 
money,  which  wee  find  to  be  forty  pounds,  with  costs  of 
court.  The  Defdt.  made  his  appeale  to  the  next  Court  of 
Assistants." 

Beside  the  books  printed  by  Green  and  him,  which 
appear  in  Green's  catalogue,  I  find  the  following  printed 
solely  by  Johnson,  viz. 

Catalogue  of  Books  printed  by  Johnson. 

1665.  Communion  of  Churches  ;  or,  the  Divine  Management  of 
Gospel  Churches  by  the  Ordinance  of  Councils,  constituted  in  Order, 
according  to  the  Scriptures.  As  also  the  Way  of  bringing  all 
Christian  Parishes  to  be  particular  reforming  Congregational 
Churches :  humbly  proposed  as  a  Way  which  hath  so  muche  light 
from  the  Scriptures  of  Truth,  as  that  it  may  be  lawfully  submitted 
unto  by  all ;  and  may  by  the  Blessing  of  the  Lord  be  a  means  of 
uniteing  those  two  Holy  and  eminent  Parties,  the  Presbyterians  and 
the  Congregationalists — As  also  to  prepare  for  the  hoped-for  Resur 
rection  of  the  Churches ;  and  to  propose  a  Way  to  bring  all  Christ 
ian  Nations  unto  an  Unity  of  the  Faith  and  Order  of  the  Gospel. 
Written  by  John  Eliot,  Teacher  of  Roxbury  in  N.  E.  Crown  8vo. 
38  pages.  The  following  is  the  Preface  to  the  work. 

"  Although  a  few  copies  of  this  small  script  are  printed,  yet  it  is 
not  published,  only  committed  privately  to  some  godly  and  able 
hands  to  be  viewed,  corrected,  amended,  or  rejected,  as  it  shall  be 
found  to  hold  weight  in  the  sanctuary  ballance,  or  not.  And  it  is 
the  humble  request  of  the  Author,  that  whatever  objections,  rectifi 
cations  or  emendations  may  occurre,  they  may  be  conveyed  unto 
him  ;  who  desireth  nothing  may  be  accepted  in  the  Churches,  but 


MASSACHUSETTS.  83 

what  is  according  to  the  will  and  minde  of  God,  and  tendeth  to 
holiness,  peace,  and  promotion  of  the  holy  kingdome  of  Jesus  Christ. 
The  procuring  of  half  so  many  copies  written  and  corrected,  would 
be  more  difficult  and  chargeable  than  the  printing  of  these  few.  I 
beg  the  prayers  as  well  as  the  pains  of  the  precious  Servants  of  the 
Lord,  that  I  may  never  have  the  least  finger  in  doing  any  thing  that 
may  be  derogatory  to  the  holiness  and  honour  of  Jesus  Christ  and 
his  churches-  And  to  this  I  subscribe  myself,  one  of  the  least  of 
the  labourers  in  the  Lord's  vineyard.  JOHN  ELIOT." 

1668.  The  Rise,  Spring  and  Foundation  of  the  Anabaptists  :  or 
the  Re-Baptised  of  our  Times.  58  pages.  Quarto. 

1668.  God's  Terrible  Voice  in  the  City  of  London,  wherein  you 
have  the  Narration  of  the  late  dreadful  Judgment  of  Plague  and 
Fire;  the  former  in  the  year  1665  and  the  latter  in  the  year  1666. 
32  pages.  Quarto. 

1668.  The  Righteous  Man's  Evidence  of  Heaven.  By  Timothy 
Rogers.  Small  Quarto. 

1671.  Cambridge  Platform  of  Church  Discipline.     Second  Edi 
tion.     40  pages.     Quarto. 

1672.  "  Indian  Logick  Primer." 

1673.  Wakeman's  Young  Man's  Legacy  to  the  Rising  Genera 
tion.     A  Sermon,  preached  on  the  Death  of  John  Tappin,  of  Boston. 
46  pages.     Quarto. 

1673.  Mather's  [Increase]   Woe  to  Drunkards.     Two  Sermons. 
34  pages.     Quarto.     [Printed  by  Johnson]  "  and  sold  by  Edmund 
Ranger,  Book  Binder,  in  Boston." 

1674.  Exhortation    unto  Reformation.     An    Election   Sermon. 
By  Samuel  Torrey,  of  Weyrnouth.     50  pages.     Quarto. 

1674.  Cry  of  Sodom  enquired  into,  upon  occasion  of  the  Ar 
raignment  and  Condemnation  of  Benjamin  Goad,  for  his  prodigious 
Villany.  By  S.  D.  Quarto.  30  pages. 

BARTHOLOMEW  GREEN,  son  of  Samuel  Green,  by  his 
second  wife,  was  in  business  a  few  years  with  his  father  at 
Cambridge.  In  the  year  1690  he  removed  to  Boston,  and 
set  up  his  press.  The  same  year  his  printing  house  and 
materials  were  destroyed  by  fire ;  and  he,  in  consequence 
of  his  loss,  returned  to  Cambridge,  and  was  again  con 
nected  with  his  father.  The  few  books  which  I  have  seen 
that  were  printed  by  his  father  and  him  in  company,  are 


84  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

taken  notice  of  with  his  father's.     He  resumed  business 
in  Boston  in  1692.     [See  Printers  in  Boston.] 


BOSTON. 

ABOUT  forty-five  years  from  the  beginning  of  the  settle 
ment  of  Boston  a  printing  house  was  opened,  and  the 
first  book  I  have  found  printed  in  this  town  was  by 

JOHN  FOSTER.  He  was  born  in  Dorchester,  near  Boston, 
and  educated  at  Harvard  College,  where  he  graduated  in 
1667.  Printers  at  this  time  were  considered  as  mere 
agents  to  execute  the  typographic  art ;  the  presses  were 
the  property  of  the  college,  but  all  their  productions  were 
under  the  control  of  licensers  appointed  by  the  govern 
ment  of  the  colony ;  that  government  had  restricted  print 
ing,  and  confined  it  solely  to  Cambridge,  but  it  now 
authorized  Foster  to  set  up  a  press  in  Boston.  It  does 
not  appear  that  he  was  bred  to  printing,  or  that  he  was 
acquainted  with  the  art;  the  probability  is,  that  he  was 
not;  but  having  obtained  permission  to  print,  he  employed 
workmen,  carried  on  printing  in  his  own  name,  and  was 
accountable  to  government  for  the  productions  of  his  press. 

The  General  court,  at  the  session  in  May,  1674,  passed 
the  order  following :  "  Whereas  there  is  now  granted  that 
there  may  be  a  printing  Presse  elsewhere  than  at  Cam 
bridge  ;  for  the  better  regulation  of  the  Presse  it  is  ordered 
and  Enacted  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Thatcher  and  Rev. 
Increase  Mather,  of  Boston,  be  added  unto  the  former 
Licensers,  and  they  are  hereby  impowered  to  act  accord- 
ingly." 

If  Foster's  printing  equalled,  it  could  not  be  said  to 
excel,  that  of  Green  or  Johnson,  either  in  neatness  or 
correctness.  He  printed  a  number  of  small  tracts  for 
himself  and  others.  The  earliest  book  which  I  have  seen 


MASSACHUSETTS.  85 

from  the  press  under  his  care  was  published  in  1676,  and 
the  latest  in  1680.  He  calculated  and  published  Almanacks. 
To  his  Almanack  for  1681  he  annexed  an  ingenious  dis 
sertation  on  comets  seen  at  Boston  in  November  and 
December,  1680.1  He  died  at  Dorchester,  September  9, 
1681,  aged  thirty  three  years.  His  grave  stone  bears  the 
following  inscription,  viz : 

"  Astra  colis  vivens,  moriens  super  aethera  Foster 
Scande  precor,  coelum  metiri  disce  supremurn  : 
Metior  atque  meum  est,  emit  mihi  dives  Jesus, 
Nee  tenior  quicquam  nisi  grates  solvere." 

In  English  thus  ? 

Thoct,  0  Foster,  who  on  earth  didst  study  the  heavenly 
bodies,  now  ascend  above  the  firmament  and  survey  the 
highest  heaven.  I  do  survey  and  inhabit  this  divine  region. 
To  its  possession  I  am  admitted  through  the  grace  of 
Jesus ;  and  to  pay  the  debt  of  gratitude  I  hold  the  most 
sacred  obligation. 

Two  poems  on  the  death  of  Foster  were  printed  in  1681 ; 
one  of  them  was  written  by  Thomas  Tilestone,  of  Dor 
chester,  and  the  other  by  Joseph  Capen,  afterwards  minis 
ter  of  Topsfield,  Massachusetts.  The  latter  concluded  with 
the  following  lines : 

'•'  Thy  body,  which  no  activeness  did  lack, 
Now's  laid  aside  like  an  old  Almanack ; 
But  for  the  present  only's  out  of  date, 
'Twill  have  at  length  a  far  more  active  state. 
Yea,  though  with  dust  thy  body  soiled  be, 
Yet  at  the  resurrection  we  shall  see 
A  fair  EDITION,  and  of  matchless  worth, 
Free  from  ERRATAS,  new  in  Heaven  set  forth ; 
'Tis  but  a  word  from  GOD,  the  great  Creator, 
It  shall  be  done  when  he  saith  Jmprimatur." 


1  See  Collections  of  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  vol.  ix.  Chrono 
logical  and  topographical  account  of  Dorchester,  written  by  the  Rev.  T.  M. 
Harris. 


86  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

"Whoever  has  read  the  celebrated  epitaph,  by  Franklin, 
on  himself,  will  have  some  suspicion  that  it  was  taken 
from  this  original. 

SAMUEL  SEW  ALL.  When  Foster  died,  Boston  was  with 
out  the  benefit  of  the  press ;  but  a  continuance  of  it  in 
this  place  being  thought  necessary,  Samuel  Sewall,  not 
a  printer  but  a  magistrate,  &c.,  a  man  much  respected,  was 
selected  as  a  proper  person  to  manage  the  concerns  of  it, 
and  as  such  was  recommended  to  the  General  court.  In 
consequence  of  this  recommendation,  the  court  in  October, 
1681,  gave  him  liberty  to  carry  on  the  business  of  printing 
in  Boston.  The  license  is  thus  recorded :  *  "  Samuel 
Sewall,  at  the  Instance  of  some  Friends,  with  respect  to 
the  accommodation  of  the  Publick,  being  prevailed  with 
to  undertake  the  Management  of  the  Printing  Presse  in 
Boston,  late  under  the  command  of  Mr.  John  Foster,  de 
ceased,  liberty  is  accordingly  granted  to  him  for  the  same 
by  this  court,  and  none  may  presume  to  set  up  any  other 
Presse  without  the  like  Liberty  first  granted.'7 

Sewall  became  a  bookseller.  Books  for  himself  and 
others  were  printed  at  the  press  under  his  management, 
as  were  several  acts  and  laws,  with  other  work  for  govern 
ment.  Samuel  Green,  jun.,  was  his  printer.  In  1682  an 
order  passed  the  General  court  for  the  treasurer  to  pay 
Sewall  £10  17s.,  for  printing  the  election  sermon  delivered 
that  year  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Torrey.  I  have  seen  several 
books  printed  by  the  assignment  of  Sewall. 

In  1684,  Sewall  by  some  means  was  unable  to  conduct 
the  press,  and  requested  permission  of  the  General  court 
to  be  released  from  his  engagement,  which  was  granted. 
The  record  of  his  release  is  in  the  words  following : 

O 

"  Samuel  Sewall  by  the  providence  of  God  being  unable 


1  Records  of  the  Colony  for  1081. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  87 

to  attend  the  press  &c.,  requested  leave  to  be  freed  from 
his  obligations  concerning  it,  which  was  granted." 

In  1684,  and  for  several  subsequent  years,  the  loss  of 
the  charter  occasioned  great  confusion  and  disorder  in  the 
political  concerns  of  the  colony.  Soon  after  Sewall  re 
signed  his  office  as  conductor  of  the  press  in  Boston,  he 
went  to  England ;  whence  he  returned  in  1692.  He  was, 
undoubtedly,  the  same  Samuel  Sewall  who,  when  a  new 
charter  was  granted  by  King  William,  was  for  many  years 
one  of  the  council  for  the  province ;  and  who,  in  1692, 
was  appointed  one  of  the  judges  of  the  superior  court ;  in 
1715  judge  of  probate ;  and  in  1718  chief  justice  of  Massa 
chusetts.  He  died  January  1,  1729-30,  aged  seventy-eight 
years.1 

JAMES  GLEN.  Printed  for  or  by  the  assignment  of  Samuel 
Sewall,  to  whom  government  had  committed  the  manage 
ment  of  the  press  after  the  death  of  Foster.  He  printed 
under  Sewall  less  than  two  years.  I  have  seen  only  three  or 
four  works  which  bear  his  name  in  the  imprint,  and  these 
were  printed  for  Sewall.  One  was  entitled  Covenant  Keeping, 
the  Way  to  Blessedness,  by  Samuel  Willard.  12mo.  240  pages. 
"Boston:  Printed  by  James  Glen,  for  S.  Sewall,  1682." 
I  do  not  recollect  the  titles  of  the  others,  which  were 
pamphlets.  All  the  printing  done  by  Glen  was  at  Sewall's 
press. 

SAMUEL  GREEN,  Junior,  was  the  son,  by  his  first  wife, 
of  Samuel  Green,  who  at  that  time  printed  at  Cambridge. 
He  was  taught  the  art  in  the  printing  house  of  his  father. 
His  books  bear  the  next  earliest  dates  to  Foster's  and 
Glen's.  In  1682,  he  printed  at  the  press  which,  by  order 


1  See  Prince's  Funeral  Sermon,  and  Allen's  Biographical  Dictionary. 


88  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

of  the  General  court,  was  under  the  management  of  Sewall, 
and  for  some  time  by  virtue  of  an  assignment  from  Sewall. 
He  worked  chiefly  for  booksellers.  Many  books  printed 
for  them  are  without  the  name  of  the  printer,  and  some 
without  date.1  After  Sewall  ceased  to  conduct  the  press, 
Green  was  permitted  to  continue  printing,  subject  to  the 
control  of  the  licensers. 

John  Dunton,  a  London  bookseller,  who  visited  Boston 
while  Green  was  in  business,  in  1686,  and  after  his  return 
to  England  published  the  history  of  his  o\vn  Life  and 
Errors,  mentions  Green  in  his  publication  in  the  following 
manner:  "I  contracted  a  great  friendship  for  this  man; 
to  name  his  trade  will  convince  the  world  he  was  a  man 
of  good  sense  and  understanding ;  he  was  so  facetious  and 
obliging  in  his  conversation  that  I  took  a  great  delight  in 
his  company,  and  made  use  of  his  house  to  while  away 
my  melancholy  hours."2  Dunton  gives  biographical 
sketches  of  a  number  of  men  and  women  whom  he  visited 
in  Boston  in  1686,  and  represents  Green's  wife  as  a  most 
excellent  woman,  even  as  a  model  from  which  to  draw 
the.  picture  of  the  best  of  wives."* 

Green  printed  for  government,  and  soon  after  his  death 
the  General  court  ordered  the  treasurer  to  pay  his  heirs 
£22  17s.  "  due  him  for  his  last  printing." 

In  1690,  Boston  was  visited  with  the  small  pox.  Before 
the  practice  of  inoculation  was  introduced,  this  disease,  at 


1  Printers  should  insert  in  their  imprints  to  books,  newspapers,  &c.,  not 
only  their  names,  but  the  year,  and  mention  both  the  state  and  town  where 
their  presses  are  established.  Many  towns  in  the  United  States  bear  the 
same  name.  Some  newspapers,  and  many  books,  have  been  published 
in  certain  towns;  and  the  state  not  being  designated  in  the  imprints, 
in  many  instances  it  cannot  be  determined,  especially  by  those  at  a  dis 
tance,  in  which  of  the  states  they  were  printed. 
,2Dunton's  Life  and  Errors,  printed  at  London,  1705,  pp.  129. 

3  Her  maiden  name  was  Elizabeth  Sill.     She  was  born  in  Cambridge. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  89 

every  visitation,  swept  off  a  large  number  of  inhabitants. 
In  July  of  that  year,  Green  fell  a  victim  to  that  loathsome 
disorder ;  he  died  after  an  illness  of  three  days ;  and  his 
amiable  wife,  within  a  few  days  after  her  husband,1  was 
carried  off  by  the  same  epidemic. 

RICHARD  PIERCE.  On  an  examination  of  the  books 
printed  in  Boston  before  the  year  1700,  it  appears  that 
Richard  Pierce  was  the  fifth  person  who  carried  on  the 
printing  business  in  that  place.  Whether  he  had  been 
bred  a  printer  in  England,  or  had  served  an  apprenticeship 
with  Green  at  our  Cambridge,  cannot  be  determined. 
There  was  a  printer  in  London  by  the  name  of  Richard 
Pierce,  in  1679  ;  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  emigrated 
to  this  country,  and  set  up  his  press  in  Boston.  I  have 
seen  some  books  printed  by  him  on  his  own  account,  and 
a  number  for  booksellers ;  they  are  mentioned  in  the  cata 
logue  of  books  printed  in  America  before  the  revolution. 
I  have  not  found  any  thing  printed  by  him  before  1684,  or 
after  1690. 

BARTHOLOMEW  GREEN  has  been  mentioned  as  a  printer 
at  Cambridge,  in  connection  with  his  father.  He  began 
business  at  Boston  in  1690,  immediately  after  the  death  of 
his  brother,  with  the  best  printing  apparatus  then  in  the 
country.  He  was  married  the  same  year ;  and  soon  after 
his  printing  house  was  consumed,  and  his  press  and  types 


1 1  am  favored  by  Rosseter  Cotton,  Esq.,  of  Plymouth,  with  an  original 
letter,  dated  at  Plymouth,  Aug.  5,  1690,  to  his  great  grandfather,  the  Rev. 
John  Cotton,  then  on  a  visit  to  Barnstable,  from  his  son,  which  mentions 
among  other  articles  of  information  from  Boston,  "  the  small  pox  is  as 
bad  as  ever  ;  Printer  Green  died  of  it  in  Three  days,  his  wive  also  is  dead 
with  it."  This  letter  contains  much  news  of  the  day  ;  it  states  that,  "  on 
Saturday  Evening  about  fourteen  houses,  besides  warehouses  and  Bruc- 
houses,  were  burnt  at  Boston,  from  the  Mill  Bridgh  down  half  way  to 
the  Draw  Bridgh."  By  this  it  should  seem,  that  at  that  time,  there  was 
a  street  along  side  of  the  Mill  creek. 


90  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

entirety  destroyed  by  a  fire,  which  began  in  his  neighbor 
hood.  This  misfortune  obliged  him  to  return  to  Cam 
bridge;  and  he  continued  there  two  years,  doing  busi 
ness  in  company  with  his  father.  Being  again  furnished 
with  a  press  and  types,  he  reestablished  himself  in  Bos 
ton,  and  opened  a  printing  house  in  Newbury  street. 
The  imprint  to  several  of  the  first  books  from  his  press, 
is,  "  Boston :  Printed  by  B.  Green,  at  the  South  End  of 
the  Town." 

In  April,  1704,  he  began  the  publication  of  a  newspaper, 
entitled  The  Boston  News  Letter.  Published  by  Authority. 
It  was  printed  weekly,  on  Mondays,  for  John  Campbell, 
postmaster,  who  was  the  proprietor.  After  the  News- 
Letter  had  been  printed  eighteen  years  for  Campbell, 
Green  published  it  on  his  own  account.  It  was  the  first 
newspaper  printed  in  the  British  colonies  of  North  America, 
and  had  been  published  fifteen  years  before  any  other 
work  of  the  kind  made  its  appearance.  It  was  continued 
by  Green  and  his  successors  until  the  year  1776,  when  the 
British  troops  evacuated  Boston.1 

After  his  father's  death  Bartholomew  Green  printed  for 
the  college,  and  he  was  for  nearly  forty  years  printer  to 
the  governor  and  council  of  Massachusetts  ;  but  the  acts 
and  laws  printed  by  him  were  done  for  a  bookseller,  Ben 
jamin  Elliot,  from  1703  to  1729,  as  appears  from  the  im 
prints.  He  was  the  most  distinguished  printer  of  that 


1  Bartholomew  Green  began  the  printing  of  The  Boston  News-Letter, 
in  Newbury  street,  in  a  small  wooden  building,  to  which  another  room 
was  annexed  some  years  after,  for  the  accommodation  of  his  son.  This 
building  was  burnt  down  in  January,  1734 ;  it  was  previously  occupied 
as  a  printing  house  both  by  young  Green  and  John  Draper,  who  did  busi 
ness  independently  of  each  other.  Another  house  of  like  dimensions  was 
built  on  the  same  spot  by  John  Draper,  the  successor  of  the  elder  B. 
Green.  This  building  was  occupied  as  a  printing  house  until  the  British 
troops  evacuated  Boston,  in  1776.  At  that  place  began  and  ended  the 
printing  of  Tlie  Boston  News-Letter.  That  house  was  built  and  occupied 
by  Richard,  the  son  and  successor  of  John  Draper. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  91 

period  in  this  country,  and  did  more  business  than  any 
other  of  the  profession;  yet  he  worked  chiefly  for  the 
booksellers.  John  Allen  was  concerned  with  him  in 
printing  many  books,  in  the  imprints  of  which  both  their 
names  appeared  ;  there  was  not,  however,  a  regular  part 
nership  between  them. 

Through  the  whole  course  of  his  life,  Green  was  dis 
tinguished  for  piety  and  benevolence;  he  was  highly 
respected  ;  and,  for  many  years,  held  the  office  of  a  deacon 
in  the  Old  South  church  in  Boston.  He  died  December 
28,  1732.  The  following  character  of  him  is  extracted 
from  The  Boston  News-Letter,  of  January  4,  1733  : 

"  Bartholomew  Green  was  a  person  generally  known 
and  esteemed  among  us,  as  a  very  humble  and  exemplary 
Christian,  one  who  had  much  of  that  primitive  Christianity 
in  him  which  has  always  been  the  distinguishing  glory  of 
New  England.  We  may  further  remember  his  eminency 
for  a  strict  observing  the  sabbath ;  his  household  piety ; 
his  keeping  close  and  diligent  to  the  work  of  his  calling ; 
his  meek  and  peaceable  spirit ;  his  caution  of  publishing 
any  thing  offensive,  light  or  hurtful ;  and  his  tender  sym 
pathy  to  the  poor  and  afflicted.  He  always  spoke  of  the 
wonderful  spirit  of  piety  that  prevailed  in  the  land  in  his 
youth  with  a  singular  pleasure."  [See  History  of  Newspapers 
in  the  second  volume  of  this  worh.~] 

JOHN  ALLEN.  I  have  not  seen  any  book  with  his  name 
in  the  imprint,  published  earlier  than  the  year  1690.  He 
printed,  sometimes  in  connection  with  Bartholomew  Green, 
and  sometimes  with  Benjamin  Harris;  but  was  not  in 
regular  partnership  with  either.  There  is  no  evidence 
that  he  had  printing  materials  of  his  own  until  1707 ;  at 
this  time  he  opened  a  printing  house  in  Pudding  lane,  near 
the  post  office,  and  did  business  on  his  own  account.  In 
November  of  this  year  he  began  printing  The  Boston  News- 


92  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Letter,  for  the  proprietor,  Mr.  Campbell,  postmaster. 
Soon  after  this  event  he  published  the  following  advertise 
ment,  viz  : 

"  These  are  to  give  Notice,  that  there  lately  came  from 
London  a  Printing  Press,  with  all  sorts  of  good  new 
Letter,  which  is  now  set  up  in  Pudding  Lane  near  Tthe 
Post-Office  in  Boston  for  publick  use  :  Where  all  persons 
that  have  any  thing  to  print  may  be  served  on  reasonable 
terms." 

Allen  printed  The  News-Letter  four  years ;  when  a  fire 
which  consumed  most  of  the  buildings  in  Cornhill,  and 
many  in  King  street,  Queen  street,  and  the  contiguous 
lanes,  is  supposed  to  have  burnt  his  printing  house.  The 
fire  broke  out  on  the  evening  of  the  2d  of  October,  1711. 
On  the  preceding  day  he  had  printed  The  New s- Letter ; 
but  on  the  next  week  that  paper  was  again  printed  by 
Green ;  or  as  the  imprint  runs,  "  Printed  in  Newbury- 
Street,  for  John  Campbell,  Post-Master."  I  have  seen  a 
number  of  books  printed  after  this  time  by  Allen  alone, 
the  last  of  which  is  Whittemore's  Almanack,  bearing  the 
date  of  1724. 

While  he  was  connected  with  Green,  and  previous  to 
1708,  the  acts,  laws,  proclamations,  &c.,  of  government, 
were  printed  by  them,  and  Allen's  name  appeared  with 
Green's  as  "  Printers  to  the  Governour  and  Council." 
Allen  printed  no  book  that  I  have  seen  on  his  own  account ; 
all  the  business  he  executed  in  the  line  of  his  profession 
was  for  booksellers.  He  was  from  England.  There  is  in 
an  ancient  library  in  Boston,  a  copy  of  Increase  Mather's 
Mystery  of  Israel's  Salvation,  printed  in  London,  by  John 
Allen,  in  1669.  It  is  supposed  that  he  came  to  Boston  by 
encouragement  from  the  Mathers. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  93 

BENJAMIN  HARRIS.  His  printing  house  was  "  over  against 
the  Old  Meeting  House  in  Cornhill." l  He  removed 
several  times ;  and  once  printed  "  at  the  London  Coffee- 
House,"  which  I  believe  he  kept,  in  King's  street;  at 
another  time  in  Cornhill,  "  over  against  the  Blew  Anchor." 
The  last  place  of  his  residence  I  find  mentioned,  was  in 
Cornhill,  "  at  the  Sign  of  the  Bible." 

He  printed,  principally,  for  booksellers;  but  he  did 
some  work  on  his  own  account.  He  kept  a  shop,  and 
sold  books.  I  have  not  met  with  any  book  of  his  printing 
earlier  than  1690,  nor  later  than  1694.  In  1692  and  1693, 
he  printed  The  Acts  and  Laws  of  Massachusetts,  containing 
about  one  hundred  and  thirty  pages,  folio,  to  which  the 
charter  was  prefixed.  The  imprint  is,  "  Boston  :  Printed 
by  Benjamin  Harris,  Printer  to  his  Excellency  the  Go- 
vernour  and  Council."  His  commission  from  Governor 
Phips,  to  print  them,  is  published  opposite  to  the  title 
page  of  the  volume  in  the  words  following  : 

"  By  his  Excellency. —  I  order  Benjamin  Harris  to  print  the  Acts 
and  Laws  made  by  the  Great  and  General  Court,  or  Assembly  of 
Their  Majesties  Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England, 
that  so  the  people  may  be  informed  thereof. 

WILLIAM  PHIPS. 

"  Boston,  December  16, 1692." 


In  the  title  page  of  the  laws,  printed  by  him  in  1693,  is. 
a  handsome  cut  of  their  majesties'  arms.  This  was  in  the 
reign  of  William  and  Mary.2 


'This  church  in  Boston  was  burnt  down  in  the  great  fire  of  1711 ;  but 
was  soon  rebuilt,  on  a  new  site,  a  number  of  rods  to  the  south  of  the  spot 
where  the  old  building  stood,  and  was,  for  many  years,  known  by  the 
name  of  The  Old  Brick ;  which,  in  1808,  was  taken  clown,  a  new  church 
having  been  erected  for  the  society  in  Summer  street. 

2  The  following  is  a  more  accurate  description  of  this  rare  volume  from 
the  copy  in  the  library  of  the  Antiquarian  Society:  It  contains  1.  The 
Charter  of  William  and  Mary.  Imprint :  "  Printed  at  London,  and  Re- 


94  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Harris  was  from  London ;  he  returned  there  about  the 
year  1694.  Before  and  after  his  emigration  to  America 
he  owned  a  considerable  bookstore  in  that  city.  John 
Dunton's  account  of  him  is  thus  : 

"  He  had  been  a  brisk  asserter  of  English  Liberties,  and 
once  printed  a  Book  with  that  very  title.  He  sold  a  pro- 
testant  Petition  in  King  Charles's  Reign,  for  which  he  was 
fined  five  Pounds ;  and  he  was  once  set  in  the  Pillory,  but 
his  wife  (like  a  kind  Rib)  stood  by  him  to  defend  her  Hus 
band  against  the  Mob.  After  this  (having  a  deal  of  Mer 
cury  in  his  natural  temper)  he  travelled  to  New  England, 
where  he  followed  Bookselling,  and  then  Coffee  -selling, 
and  then  Printing,  but  continued  Ben  Harris  still,  and  is 
now  both  Bookseller  and  Printer  in  Grace  Church  Street, 
as  we  find  by  his  London  Post ;  so  that  his  Conversation  is 
general  (but  never  impertinent)  and  his  Wit  pliable  to  all 
inventions.  But  yet  his  Vanity,  if  he  has  any,  gives  no 
alloy  to  his  Wit,  and  is  no  more  than  might  justly  spring 
from  conscious  virtue;  and  I  do  him  but  justice  in  this 
part  of  his  Character,  for  in  once  travelling  with  him  from 


Printed  at  Boston,  in  New  England.    By  Benjamin  Harris,  over  against 
the  Old  Meeting  House,  1692,"  13  pp. 

2.  Several  Acts  and  Laws,  &c.    Imprint,  BOSTON.     Printed  by  Benjamin 
Harris,  Printer  to  His  Excellency  the  Governour  and  Council,  1692.  16  pp. 
These  are  the  Acts,  &c.,  of  the  first  Session,  begun  June  8,  1692. 

3.  Acts  and  Laws,  &c.,  with  the  Imprint  and  the  order  of  Gov.  Phips  as 
stated  by  Mr.  Thomas.     These  are  the  Acts,  &c.,  of  what  is  called  in  the 
title  page  the  Second  Session,  "  Begun  the  eighth  day  of  June,  1692,  and 
continued  by  adjournment  unto  Wednesday  the  twelfth  day  of  October 
following."     Besides  the  title  and  table  of  contents  there  are  ninety  pages 
to  this  part. 

4.  Another  title  page,  with  the  Acts  and  Laws  of  the  Third  Session,  ter 
minating  on  the  succeeding  eighth  of  February.     6  pp.     The  date  is 
1693. 

5.  Another  title  page,  with  the  Acts  and  Laws  of  the  Fourth  Session, 
ending  on  the  second  day  of  March.   2  pp.     This  has  upon  the  title  page 
the  arms  of  the  English  crown.     Subsequent  Acts  and  Laws  of  1693, 
bear  the  imprint  of  Bartholomew  Green. —  If. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  95 

Bury-Fair,  I  found  him  to  be  the  most  ingenious  and 
innocent  Companion,  that  I  had  ever  met  with."  l 

TIMOTHY  GREEN  was  the  son  of  Samuel  Green,  junior, 
of  Boston,  and  grandson  of  Samuel  Green  of  Cambridge. 
The  earliest  books  which  I  have  met  with  of  his  print 
ing,  bear  date  in  1700.  He  had  a  printing  house  at  the 
north  part  of  the  town,  in  Middle  street,  near  Cross  street. 
He  printed  and  sold  some  books  on  his  own  account ;  but, 
as  was  customary,  printed  principally  for  booksellers. 
The  imprint  to  some  of  his  books  is,  "  Boston :  Printed 
by  Timothy  Green,  at  the  North  Part  of  the  Town."  I  have 
seen  other  books  printed  at  the  same  time  by  his  uncle 
Bartholomew,  with  this  imprint,  "  Boston  :  Printed  by  B. 
Green,  at  the  South  Part  of  the  Town"  Although  several 
printers  had  succeeded  each  other,  there  had  never  been 
more  than  two  printing  houses  open  at  the  same  time  in 
Boston ;  and,  at  this  period,  it  does  not  appear  that  the 
number  was  increased.  T.  Green  continued  in  business, 
at  Boston,  until  1714.  He  then  received  encouragement 
from  the  general  assembly  of  Connecticut,  and  removed 
his  press  to  New  London.  [See  Printers  in  Connecticut.'] 

JAMES  PRINTER,  alias  James  the  Printer.  This  man  was 
an  Indian  native ;  born  at  an  Indian  town  called  Hassan a- 
mesitt,2  now  the  town  of  Grafton,  in  the  county  of  Wor 
cester,  Massachusetts.  His  father  was  a  deacon  of  the 
church  of  Indian  Christians  established  in  that  place. 
James  had  two  brothers;  the  one,  named  Anaweakin, 


lDuntotis  Life  and  Errors,  printed  in  London,  1705.  Dimton  was  an 
English  bookseller,  who  had  been  in  Boston  ;  he  was  bred  to  this  business 
by  Thomas  Parkhurst,  who  published  Mather's  Magnolia,  and  other  books 
for  New  England  ministers.  Dunton  had  a  knowledge  of  the  booksellers 
in  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  Holland,  and  New  England ;  and  published 
sketches  of  their  characters.  [See  Booksellers,  Boston.] 

2  Signifying  a  place  of  small  stones. 


96  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

was  their  ruler ;  the  other,  named  Tarkuppawillin,  was 
their  teacher ;  they  were  all  esteemed  on  account  of  their 
piety,  and  considered  as  the  principal  persons  of  that  Indian 
village.1  James,  when  a  child,  was  taught  at  the  Indian 
charity  school,  at  Cambridge,  to  read  and  write  the  English 
language,  where,  probably,  he  received  the  Christian  name 
of  James.  In  1659,  he  was  put  apprentice  to  Samuel 
Green,  printer,  in  that  place,  which  gave  him  the  surname 
of  Printer.  Green  instructed  him  in  the  art  of  printing ; 
and  employed  him  whilst  his  apprentice  as  a  pressman, 
&c.,  in  printing  the  first  edition  of  the  Indian  Bible. 

A  war  taking  place  between  James's  countrymen  and 
the  white  people,  James,  fired  with  a  spark  of  the  amor 
patriot,  left  his  master  secretly,  and  joined  his  brethren  in 
arms.  A  number  of  skirmishes  were  fought,  in  all  which 

O         / 

the  Indians  were  repulsed  with  loss ;  they,  in  consequence, 
became  disheartened ;  and  the  associated  tribes  separated, 
and  retired  to  their  respective  places  of  residence;  at 
which  time,  1676,  the  government  of  Massachusetts  issued 
a  proclamation,  or,  as  Hubbard,  in  his  Narrative  of  the 
Indian  Wars,  terms  it,  "  Put  forth  a  Declaration,  that  what 
soever  Indians  should  within  fourteen  days  next  ensuing, 
come  in  to  the  English,  might  hope  for  mercy.  Amongst 
sundry  who  came  in,  there  was  one  named  James  the 
Printer,  the  superadded  Title  distinguishing  him  from  others 
of  that  name,  who  being  a  notorious  Apostate,  that  had 
learned  so  much  of  the  English,  as  not  only  to  read 
and  write,  but  had  attained  some  skill  in  printing,  and 
might  have  attained  more,  had  he  not  like  a  false  villain 
run  away  from  his  Master  before  his  time  was  out;  he 
having  seen  and  read  the  said  Declaration  of  the  English, 
did  venture  himself  upon  the  Truth  thereof,  and  came  to 
sue  for  his  life  ;  he  affirmed  with  others  that  came  along 


1  Major  Daniel  Gookin's  account  of  the  Indians  in  New  England. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  97 

with  him,  that  more  Indians  had  died  since  the  War  began 
of  diseases  (such  as  at  other  times  they  used  not  to  be 
acquainted  withal)  than  by  the  sword  of  the  English."  l 
In  this  war,  the  ^arraganset  Indians  lost  their  celebrated 
chief,  king  Philip,  of  Mount  Hope ;  after  which  the  colony 
enjoyed  great  tranquillity. 

James,  it  is  supposed,  remained  in  and  near  Boston  till 
1680;  and,  doubtless,  worked  at  the  printing  business, 
either  with  his  former  master,  at  Cambridge,  or  with 
Foster,  who  had  lately  set  up  a  press,  the  first  established 
in  Boston,  and  must  have  well  known  James,  who  lived 
with  Green  when  Foster  was  at  college.  In  1680,  he  was 
engaged  with  Green  at  Cambridge  in  printing  the  second 
edition  of  the  Indian  Bible.  The  Rev.  John  Eliot,  in  a 
letter  to  the  Hon.  Robert  Boyle  at  London,  dated  March, 
1682-3,  observes  respecting  this  second  edition,  "I  desire 
to  see  it  done  before  I  die,  and  I  am  so  deep  in  years,  that 
I  cannot  expect  to  live  long ;  besides,  we  have  but  one 
man,  viz.,  the  Indian  Printer,  that  is  able  to  compose  the 
Sheets,  and  correct  the  Press  with  understanding."  In 
another  letter,  dated  "  Roxbury,  April  22,  1684,"  to  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Boyle,  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Eliot,  he  mentions, 
"  We  present  your  honours  with  one  book,  so  far  as  we 
have  gone  in  the  work,  and  humbly  beseech  that  it  may 
be  acceptable  till  the  whole  Bible  is  finished ;  and  then 
the  whole  impression  (which  is  two  thousand)  is  at  your 
honours  command.  Our  slow  progress  needeth  an  apol 
ogy.  We  have  been  much  hindered  by  the  sickness 
the  last  year.  Our  workmen  have  been  all  sick,  and  we 
have  but  few  hands  (at  printing)  one  Englishman,  and 
a  boy,  and  one  Indian,2  and  many  interruptions  and 


1  HubbarcVs  Narrative  of  the  Troubles  with  the  Indians  in  New  England, 
etc.,  4to  edition  ;  "  printed  by  Authority,"  at  Boston,  1677,  p.  96. 

2  Undoubtedly  J.  Printer.     This  surname  of  Printer  was  continued  by 
the  descendants  of  James,  who  owned  and  left  to  his  posterity  some 

7 


98  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

diversions  do  befall  us,  and  we  could  do  but  little  this 
very  hard  winter." 

We  hear  no  more  of  James  until  the  year  1709,  when  an 
edition  of  the  Psalter,  in  the  Indian  and  English  languages, 
made  its  appearance  with  the  following  imprint. —  "  Bos 
ton,  N.  E.  Printed  by  B.  Green  and  J.  Printer,  for  the 
Honourable  Company  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel 
in  ^N"ew  England,  £c."-  -In  Indian  thus,  Upprinthomunneau 
B.  Green,  kah  J.  Printer,  wutche  quhtiantamwe  Ckapanukke'g 
wutche  oncheJdouunnat  wunnaunchummookaonk  ut  Neiv  En 
gland.  1709.1 

Some  of  James's  descendants  were  long  living  in 
Grafton  ;  they  bore  the  surname  of  Printer. 

THOMAS  FLEET  was  born  in  England  and  there  bred  to 
the  printing  business.  When  young  he  took  an  active  part 
in  opposition  to  the  high  church  party.  On  some  public 
procession,  probably  that  of  Dr.  Sacheverel,  when  many 
of  the  zealous  members  of  the  high  church  decorated  their 
doors  and  windows  with  garlands,  as  the  head  of  their 
party  passed  in  the  streets,  Fleet  is  said  to  have  hung 
out  of  his  window  an  ensign  of  contempt,  which  inflamed 
the  resentment  of  his  opponents  to  that  degree,  that  he 
was  obliged  to  secrete  himself  from  their  rage,  and  to 
embrace  the  first  opportunity  to  quit  his  country. 


valuable  tracts  of  land  in  Grafton,  county  of  Worcester,  Mass.,  the  place 
of  his  nativity.  An  action  respecting  a  part  of  this  land,  owned  by 
Abigail  Printer,  was  decided  in  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  in  said 
Worcester  in  1810.  She  was  probably,  the  great-granddaughter  of  James. 

1  Bartholomew  Green  was  the  son  of  James's  former  master ;  James 
was  well  known  among  all  the  neighboring  tribes ;  and  one  motive  for 
employing  him  in  printing  this  Psalter,  might  have  been,  to  excite  the 
greater  attention  among  the  Indians,  and  give  it  a  wider  circulation  ; 
besides,  his  knowledge  of  both  languages  enabled  him  to  expedite  the 
work  with  more  facility  and  correctness  than  any  other  person. 

Several  books  were,  about  this  time,  translated  into  the  Indian  language, 
and  printed,  which  might  have  afforded  employment  to  James ;  but  I  have 
seen  only  the  Psalter  with  his  name  as  the  printer. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  99 

He  arrived  at  Boston  about  the  year  1712,  and  soon 
opened  a  printing  house  in  Pudding  Lane,  now  Devon 
shire  street.  The  earliest  book  I  have  seen  of  his  print 
ing  bears  date  1713.  He  was  a  good  workman ;  was  a 
book  printer,  and  he  and  T.  Crump  were  concerned  in 
printing  some  books  together. 

But  the  principal  performances  of  Fleet,  until  he  began 
the  publication  of  a  newspaper,  consisted  of  pamphlets 
for  booksellers,  small  books  for  children,  and  ballads.  He 
made  a  profit  on  these,  which  was  sufficient  to  support 
his  family  reputably.  He  owned  several  negroes,  one  of 
which  worked  at  the  printing  business,  both  at  the  press 
and  at  setting  types;  he  was  an  ingenious  man,  and  cut, 
on  wooden  blocks,  all  the  pictures  which  decorated  the 
ballads  and  small  books  of  his  master.  Fleet  had  also  two 
negro  boys  born  in  his  house;  sons,  I  believe,  to  the  man 
just  mentioned,  whom  he  brought  up  to  work  at  press  and 
case ;  one  named  Pompey  and  the  other  Cesar ;  they  were 
young  when  their  master  died ;  but  they  remained  in  the 
family,  and  continued  to  labor  regularly  in  the  printing 
house  with  the  sons  of  Mr.  Fleet,  who  succeeded  their 
father,  until  the  constitution  of  Massachusetts,  adopted  in 
1780,  made  them  freemen.1 

Fleet  continued  printing  in  Pudding  Lane,  till  early  in 
1731,  he  then  hired  a  handsome  house  in  Cornhill,  on  the 
north  corner  of  Water  street,  which  he  afterwards  pur 
chased;  and  occupied  it  through  the  residue  of  his  life. 
He  erected  a  sign  of  the  Heart  and  Crown,  which  he  never 
altered ;  but  after  his  death,  when  crowns  became  unpopu 
lar,  his  sons  changed  the  Crown  for  a  Bible,  and  let  the 
Heart  remain.  Fleet's  new  house  was  spacious,  arid  con 
tained  sufficient  room  for  the  accommodation  of  his 


1  See  discussion  of  this  question  in  Massachusetts  Historical  Collections,  4th 
series,  iv,  333,  and  Moore's  Notes  on  the  History  of  Slavery  in  Massachusetts, 
200.—  1L 


100  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

family  and  the  prosecution  of  his  printing  business,  besides 
a  convenient  shop,  and  a  good  chamber  for  an  auction 
room.  He  held  his  vendues  in  the  evening,  and  sold 
books,  household  goods,  &c.,  as  appears  by  the  following 
advertisement  which  he  inserted  in  the  Boston  Weekly 
News-Letter,  March  7th,  1731. 

"  This  is  to  give  Notice  to  all  Gentlemen,  Merchants, 
Shopkeepers  and  others,  that  Thomas  Fleet  of  Boston, 
Printer,  (who  formerly  kept  his  Printing  House  in  Pud 
ding  Lane  but  is  now  removed  into  Cornhill  at  the  sign  of 
the  Heart  $  Crown,  near  the  lower  end  of  School  Street), 
is  willing  to  undertake  the  Sale  of  Books,  Household 
Goods,  Wearing  Apparel,  or  any  other  Merchandize,  by 
"V endue  or  Auction.  The  said  Fleet  having  a  large  & 
commodious  Front  Chamber  fit  for  this  Business,  and  a 
Talent  well  known  and  approved,  doubts  not  of  giving 
entire  Satisfaction  to  such  as  may  employ  him  in  it ;  he 
hereby  engaging  to  make  it  appear  that  this  Service  may 
be  performed  with  more  Convenience  and  less  Charge  at 
a  private  House  well  situated,  than  at  a  Tavern.  And, 
for  further  Encouragement,  said  Fleet  promises  to  make 
up  Accompts  with  the  Owners  of  the  Goods  Sold  by  him, 
in  a  few  Days  after  the  sale  thereof." 

In  September,  1731,  a  new  periodical  paper  was  pub 
lished  in  Boston,  entitled,  The  Weekly  Rehearsal ;  intended 
principally,  to  contain  essays,  moral,  political  and  com 
mercial.1  John  Draper  was  first  employed  to  print  the 
Rehearsal  for  the  editor,  but  soon  relinquished  it,  and 
Fleet  succeeded  him  as  the  printer  of  it ;  and,  in  April, 
1733,  lie  published  the  Rehearsal  on  his  own  account.  It 
was  then,  and  had  been  in  fact,  from  the  beginning,  no 
more  than  a  weekly  newspaper ;  but,  while  in  the  manage 
ment  of  Fleet,  it  was  the  best  paper  at  that  time  published 


1  See  Rehearsal,  hi  the  History  of  Newspapers  in  this  work. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  101 

in  New  England.  In  August,  1735,  Fleet  changed  The 
Weekly  Rehearsal  into  The  Boston  Evening  Post.  The  last 
number  of  the  Rehearsal  was  201,  and  the  first  number  of 
the  Evening  Post,  was  202,  which  shows  that  the  Evening 
Post  was  then  intended  to  be  a  continuation  of  the  Rehear 
sal  ;  but  the  next  Boston  Evening  Post  was  numbered  2, 
and  it  became  a  new  hebdomadal  paper,  which  was  pub 
lished  every  Monday  evening. 

Fleet  was  industrious  and  economical ;  free  from  super 
stition  ;  and  possessed  a  fund  of  wit  and  humor,  which 
were  often  displayed  in  his  paragraphs  and  advertisements. 
The  members  of  Fleet's  family,  although  they  were  very 
worthy,  good  people,  were  not,  all  of  them,  remarkable  for 
the  pleasantness  of  their  countenances  ;  on  which  account 
he  would,  sometimes,  indulge  himself  in  jokes  which  were 
rather  coarse,  at  their  expense.  He  once  invited  an  inti 
mate  friend  to  dine  with  him  on  pouts ;  a  kind  of  fish 
of  which  the  gentleman  was  remarkably  fond.  When 
dinner  appeared,  the  guest  remarked  that  the  pouts  were 
wanting.  "  0  no,"  said  Fleet,  "  only  look  at  my  wife  and 
daughters." 

O 

The  following;  is  an  advertisement  of  Fleet,  for  the  sale 

O  ' 

of  a  negro  woman  —  it  is  short  and  pithy,  viz:  "  To  be 
sold  by  the  Printer  of  this  paper,  the  very  best  Negro 
Woman  in  this  Town,  who  has  had  the  small  pox  and  the 
measles  ;  is  as  hearty  as  a  Horse,  as  brisk  as  a  Bird,  and 
will  work  like  a  Beaver."  The  Evening  Post,  Aug.  23, 1742. 
In  number  50  of  The  Boston  Evening  Post,  Fleet  pub 
lished  the  following  paragraph,  under  the  Boston  head  : 
"  We  have  lately  received  from  an  intelligent  and  worthy 
Friend  in  a  neighboring  Government,  to  the  Southward  of 
us,  the  following  remarkable  Piece  of  News,  which  we  beg 
our  Readers  Patience  to  hear,  viz  :  That  the  printer  there 
gets  a  great  deal  of  Money,  has  Twenty  Shillings  for  every 
Advertisement  published  in  his  News-Paper,  calls  Us 


102  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Fools  for  working  for  nothing,  and  has  lately  purchased 
an  Estate  of  Fourteen  Hundred  Pounds  Value.1  We  should 
be  heartily  glad  (had  we  Cause  for  it)  to  return  our  Friend 
a  like  surprizing  Account  of  the  Printers  Prosperity  here. 
But  alas !  the  reverse  of  our  Brother's  Circumstances 
seems  hereditary  to  Us:  It  is  well  known  we  are  the 
most  humble,  self-denying  Set  of  Mortals  (we  wish  we 
could  say  Men)  breathing ;  for  where  there  is  a  Penny  to 
be  got,  we  readily  resign  it  up  to  those  who  are  no  Ways 
related  to  the  Business,  nor  have  any  Pretence  or  Claim 
to  the  Advantages  of  it.2  And  whoever  has  observ'd  our 
Conduct  hitherto,  has  Reason  enough  to  think,  that  we 
hold  it  a  mortal  Crime  to  make  any  other  Use  of  our 
Brains  and  Hands,  than  barely  to  help  us 

"  To  purchase  homely  Fare,  and  fresh  small  Beer, 
(Hard  Fate  indeed,  we  can't  have  better  Cheer !  ) 
And  buy  a  new  Blue  Apron  once  a  year.3 

u  But  as  we  propose  in  a  short  Time  to  publish  a  Disser 
tation  upon  the  mean  and  humble  state  of  the  Printers  of  this 
Town,  we  shall  say  no  more  at  present  upon  this  important 
Subject,  and  humbly  Pardon  for  so  large  a  Digression. 
Only  we  would  inform,  that  in  this  most  necessary  Work, 
we  are  promised  the  Assistance  of  a  worthy  Friend  and 
able  Casuist,  who  says  he  doubts  not  but  that  he  shall 
easily  make  it  appear,  even  to  the  Satisfaction  of  the 


'This  friend,  it  is  supposed,  was  James  Franklin,  nephew  to  Dr.  T5cn- 
jamin  Franklin,  who  was  established  in  Rhode  Island  ;  and,  at  that  time, 
the  paper  currency  of  that  colony  was  greatly  depreciated. 

2  Two  or  three  of  the  Boston  newspapers  were  then  printed  for  post 
masters,  or  past  postmasters  ;  and  printing  in  general  was  done  for  book 
sellers.  Master  printers  had  but  little  more  profit  on  their  labor  than 
journeymen. 

8  It  was  usual  then,  and  for  many  years  after,  for  printers,  when  at 
work,  to  wear  blue  or^green  cloth  aprons  ;  and  it  would  have  been  well  if 
this  practice  had  not  been  laid  aside. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  103 

Printers  themselves,  that  they  may  be  as  good  Christians,1 
as  useful  ISTeighbors,  and  as  loyal  Subjects,  altho'  they 
should  sometimes  feed  upon  Beef  and  Pudding,  as  they 
have  hitherto  approved  themselves  by  their  most  rigid 
abstemious  way  of  living." 

In  February,  1744,  a  comet  made  its  appearance  and 
excited  much  alarm.  Fleet  on  this  occasion  published  the 
following  remarks  :  "  The  Comet  now  rises  about  five 
o'Clock  in  the  Morning,  and  appears  very  large  and  bright, 
and  of  late  it  has  been  seen  (with  its  lucid  Train)  in  the 
Day-time,  notwithstanding  the  Luster  of  the  Sun.  This 
uncommon  Appearance  gives  much  uneasiness  to  timo 
rous  People,  especially  Women,  who  will  needs  have  it, 
that  it  portends  some  dreadful  Judgments  to  this  our  Land  : 
And  if,  from  the  Apprehension  of  deserved  Judgments, 
we  should  be  induced  to  abate  of  our  present  Pride  and 
Extravagance,  &c.,  and  should  become  more  humble, 
peaceable  and  charitable,  honest  and  just,  industrious  and 
frugal,  there  will  be  Reason  to  think,  that  the  Comet  is  the 
most  profitable  Itinerant  Preacher2  and  friendly  New  Light 
that  has  yet  appeared  among  us." — EC  erring  Post,  ISTo.  446. 

Fleet  had  often  occasion  to  complain  of  the  delin 
quency  of  his  customers  in  making  payment  for  his 
paper;  and  in  reminding  them  of  their  deficiency  he 
sometimes  indulged  himself  in  severity  of  remark,  that 
men  of  great  religious  professions  and  service  should 
neglect  to  pay  him  his  just  demands.  One  of  his  dunning 
advertisements  is  as  follows  : 

"  It  will  be  happy  for  many  People,  if  Injustice,  Extor 
tion  and  Oppression  are  found  not  to  be  Crimes  at  the  last ; 
which  seems  now  by  their  Practice  to  be  their  settled 


1  Most  of  the  printers  in  Boston,  at  that  time,  were  members  of  the 
church  ;  to  which  circumstance  Fleet,  probably,  alluded. 

2  Preachers  of  this  class,  who  with  their  adherents  were  vulgarly  called 
New  Lights,  were  then  frequent  in  and  about  Boston. 


104  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Opinion :  And  it  would  be  well  for  the  Publisher  of  this 
Paper,  if  a  great  many  of  his  Customers  were  not  of  the 
same  Sentiments.  Every  one,  almost,  thinks  he  has  a 
Right  to  read  News ;  but  few  find  themselves  inclined  to 
pay  for  it.  'Tis  great  pity  a  Soil  that  will  bear  Piety  so 
well,  should  not  produce  a  tolerable  Crop  of  Common 
Honesty." —  Evening  Post,  No.  690,  Oct.,  1748. 

The  preceding  extracts  from  the  Evening  Post,  are  suffi 
cient  to  enable  our  readers  to  form  some  acquaintance 
with  the  publisher  of  that  paper ;  and,  when  they  consider 
the  time  when  the  extracts  were  published,  they  will  be 
the  more  pleased  with  his  independence  of  character. 
Fleet  published  the  Evening  Post  until  his  death ;  and  his 
sons  continued  it  till  the  memorable  battle  at  Lexington, 
in  1775,  the  commencement  of  the  revolutionary  war, 
when  its  publication  ceased.  He  was  printer  to  the  house 
of  representatives  in  1729,  1730  and  1731.  He  died  in 
July,  1758,  aged  seventy-three  years ;  was  possessed  of  a 
handsome  property,  and  left  a  widow,  three  sons,  and  two 
daughters.  One  of  the  sons,  and  the  two  daughters,  were 
never  married. 

T.  CRUMP. —  The  first  book  I  have  seen  with  Crump's 
name  in  it,  was  printed  in  1716,  by  T.  Fleet  and  himself. 
Fleet  and  Crump  printed  several  books  together,  but  never, 
I  believe,  formed  a  regular  partnership.  It  seems  to  have 
been  the  custom  with  master  printers  in  Boston,  at  that 
time,  when  their  business  was  on  a  very  small  scale, 
instead  of  hiring  those  who  had  served  a  regular  appren 
ticeship  at  the  trade,  as  journeymen,  to  admit  them  as 
temporary  partners  in  wrork,  and  to  draw  a  proportion  of 
the  profit.  For  example,  two  printers  agreed  to  a  joint 
agency  in  printing  a  book,  and  their  names  appeared  in 
the  imprint;  if  one  of  them  was  destitute  of  types,  he 
allowed  the  other  for  the  use  of  his  printing  materials,  the 


MASSACHUSETTS.  105 

service  of  apprentices,  &c.,  and  when  the  book  came  from 
the  press,  the  bookseller  (most  books  were  then  printed 
for  booksellers),  paid  each  of  the  printers  the  sum  due  for 
his  proportion  of  the  work;  and  the  connection  ceased 
until  a  contract  was  formed  for  a  new  job.  This  method 
accounts  for  a  fact  of  which  many  have  taken  notice,  viz., 
books  appear  to  have  been  printed  the  same  year  by  T. 
Fleet  and  T.  Crump,  and  by  T.  Fleet  separately ;  and  so 
of  others.  This  was  the  case  with  Samuel  Green  and 
Marmaduke  Johnson,  at  Cambridge.  Their  names  appear 
together  in  the  imprint  of  a  book,  and  in  the  same  year 
the  name  of  S.  Green  appears  alone.  The  same  thing  took 
place  with  Bartholomew  Green  and  John  Allen,  and  with 
Benjamin  Harris  and  John  Allen.  Allen's  name  often 
appeared  with  Green's,  and  sometimes  with  Harris's;  but 
still  oftener  the  names  of  Green  and  Harris  appear  alone 
in  the  books  issued  from  their  respective  printing  houses. 
I  can  recollect  that,  when  a  lad,  I  knew  several  instances 
of  this  kind  of  partnership. 

Crump,  after  his  connection  with  Fleet,  printed  some 
books,  in  which  his  name  only  appears  in  the  imprints. 
He  did  but  little  business.  I  have  not  seen  any  thing 
printed  by  him  after  the  year  1718. 

SAMUEL  KXEELAXD  began  business  about  the  year  1718. 
His  printing  house  was  in  Prison  lane,1  the  corner  of 
Dorset's  alley.  This  building  was  occupied  for  eighty 
years  as  a  printing  house  by  Kneeland  and  those  who  suc 
ceeded  him ;  Kneeland  was  born  in  Boston,  and  served 
an  apprenticeship  with  Bartholomew  Green.  He  had 
respectable  friends,  who,  soon  after  he  became  of  age,  fur 
nished  him  with  means  to  procure  printing  materials. 
Kneeland  was  a  good  workman,  industrious  in  his  business, 


1  Now  Court  street. 


106          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

and  punctual  to  his  engagements.  Many  books  issued 
from  his  press  for  himself  and  for  booksellers,  before  and 
during  his  partnership  with  Timothy  Green,  the  second 
printer  of  that  name. 

William  Brooker,  being  appointed  postmaster  at  Boston, 
he,  on  Monday,  December  21st,  1719,  began  the  publica 
tion  of  another  newspaper  in  that  place.  This  was  the 
second  published  in  the  British  colonies,  in  North  Ame 
rica,  and  was  entitled  The  Boston  Gazette.  James  Franklin 
was  originally  employed  as  the  printer  of  this  paper ;  but, 
in  two  or  three  months  after  the  publication  commenced, 
Philip  Musgrave  was  appointed  postmaster,  and  became 
the  proprietor.  He  took  the  printing  of  it  from  Frank 
lin,  and  grave  it  to  Kneeland. 

O 

In  1727,  a  new  postmaster  became  proprietor  of  the 
Gazette,  and  the  printer  was  again  changed.  Soon  after 
this  event,  in  the  same  year,  Kneeland  commenced 
the  publication  of  a  fourth  newspaper,1  entitled,  The  New 
England  Journal.  This  was  the  second  newspaper  in  New 
England  published  by  a  printer  on  his  own  account.  In 
four  months  after  the  establishment  of  this  paper,  Knee- 
land  formed  a  partnership  with  Green  already  mentioned, 
son  of  that  Timothy  Green  who,  some  years  before, 
removed  to  New  London.  The  firm  was  KNEELAND  & 
GREEN.  When  this  partnership  took  place,  Kneeland 
opened  a  bookshop  in  King,  now  State  street,  on  his  own 
account,  and  Green  managed  the  business  of  the  printing 
house  for  their  mutual  interest.  After  attending  to  book 
selling,  for  four  or  five  years,  Kneeland  gave  up  his  shop, 
returned  to  the  printing  house,  and  took  an  active  part  in 
all  its  concerns.  They  continued  the  publication  of  The 
New  England  Journal,  nearly  fifteen  years ;  when,  on  the 


'The  New  England  Courant  had  been  printed  several  years  before,  but 
at  this  time  was  discontinued. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  107 

decease  of  the  proprietor  of  the  Boston  Gazette,  his  heirs, 
for  a  small  consideration,  resigned  that  paper  to  Kneeland 
and  Green.  They  united  the  two  papers  under  the  title 
of  The  Boston  Gazette,  and  Weekly  Journal. 

The  partnership  of  Kneeland  and  Green  was  continued 
for  twenty-five  years.  In  1752,  in  consequence  of  the 
father  of  Green,  in  New  London,  having  become  aged  and 
infirm,  the  partnership  was  dissolved,  and  Green  removed 
to  that  place,  where  he  assumed  his  father's  business.1 
The  concerns  of  the  printing  house  were,  after  Green  went 
to  Connecticut,  continued  by  Kneeland  with  his  accustomed 
energy.  Soon  after  the  dissolution  of  their  partnership, 
The  Boston  Gazette  and  Weekly  Journal  was  discontinued ; 
and  Kneeland,  when  a  few  months  had  elapsed,  began 
another  paper  entitled  The  Boston  Gazette  or  Weekly  Adver 
tiser.21 

The  booksellers  of  this  time  were  enterprising.  Knee- 
land  and  Green  printed,  principally  for  Daniel  Henchman, 
an  edition  of  the  Bible  in  small  4to.  This  was  the  first 
Bible  printed,  in  America,  in  the  English  language.  It 
was  carried  through  the  press  as  privately  as  possible,  and 
had  the  London  imprint  of  the  copy  from  which  it  was 
reprinted,  viz :  "  London :  Printed  by  Mark  Baskett, 
Printer  to  the  King's  Most  Excellent  Majesty,"  in  order 
to  prevent  a  prosecution  from  those  in  England  and  Scot 
land,  who  published  the  Bible  by  a  patent  from  the  crown ; 
or,  Cum  privilegio,  as  did  the  English  universities  of  Oxford 
and  Cambridge.  When  I  was  an  apprentice,  I  often 
heard  those  who  had  assisted  at  the  case  and  press  in 
printing  this  Bible,  make  mention  of  the  fact.  The  late 


1  In  the  Historical  Magazine,  ix,  new  series,  39,  and  Boston  Traveller,  Sept. 
5.  1866,  the  Christian  History,  printed  weekly  for  Thomas  Prince  Jr.  by 
Kneeland  and  Green,  in  1743-4,  is  claimed  to  have  been  the  first  religious 
newspaper  in  the  world. — M. 

2  See  Newspapers,  Appendix,  vol.  u. 


108          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Governor  Hancock  was  related  to  Henchman,  and  knew 
the  particulars  of  the  transaction.  He  possessed  a  copy  of 
this  impression.  As  it  has  a  London  imprint,  at  this  day 
it  can  be  distinguished  from  an  English  edition,  of  the 
same  date,  only  by  those  who  are  acquainted  with  the 
niceties  of  typography.  This  Bible  issued  from  the  press 
about  the  time  that  the  partnership  of  Kneeland  and  Green 
expired.  The  edition  was  not  large ;  I  have  been  informed 
that  it  did  not  exceed  seven  or  eight  hundred  copies.1 

An  edition  of  the  iN"ew  Testament,  in  duodecimo,  was 
printed  by  Rogers  and  Fowle,  not  long  before  the  time 
when  this  impression  of  the  Bible  came  from  the  press, 
for  those  at  whose  expense  it  was  issued.  Both  the 
Bible  and  the  Testament  were  well  executed.  These 
were  heavy  undertakings  for  that  day,  but  Henchman  was 
a  man  of  property ;  and  it  is  said  that  several  other  prin 
cipal  booksellers  in  Boston  were  concerned  with  him  in 
this  business.  The  credit  of  this  edition  of  the  Testament 
was,  for  the  reason  I  have  mentioned,  transferred  to  the 
king's  printer,  in  London,  by  the  insertion  of  his  imprint. 

Kueeland  was,  for  a  great  length  of  time,  printer  to  the 
governor  and  council,  and  during  several  years  he  printed 
the  acts,  laws  and  journals  of  the  house  of  representatives. 
He  was  diligent,  and  worked  at  case  when  far  advanced  in 
years.  The  books  he  published  were  chiefly  on  religious 
subjects;  he  printed  some  political  pamphlets.  He  was 
independent  in  his  circumstances ;  a  member  of  the  Old 
South  church;  and  was  a  pious,  friendly,  and  benevolent 
man.  He  left  four  sons,  all  of  whom  were  printers  ;  two 
of  them,  Daniel  and  John,  set  up  a  press,  in  partnership, 


1  The  authenticity  of  this  statement  has  been  questioned  by  Bancroft, 
the  historian,  and  an  account  of  some  fruitless  investigations  concerning 
the  edition  is  given  in  O'Callayharis  List  of  Editions  of  American  Jlibles, 
p.  xiii.— M, 


MASSACHUSETTS.  109 

before  their  father's  death  ;  but  the  other  two  never  were 
in  business  on  their  own  account. 

He  died  December  14,  1769,  aged  seventy-three  years. 
The  following  is  extracted  from  the  Evening  Post  of  Decem 
ber  18,  1769  :  "  Last  Thursday  died,  after  a  long  indispo 
sition,  Mr.  Samuel  Kneeland,  formerly,  for  many  years, 
an  eminent  Printer  in  this  Town.  He  sustained  the 
character  of  an  upright  man  and  a  good  Christian,  and  as 
such  was  universally  esteemed.  He  continued  in  business 
till  through  age  and  bodily  Infirmities  he  was  obliged  to 
quit  it.  His  Funeral  was  very  respectfully  attended  on 
Saturday  Evening  last." 

JAMES  FRANKLIN  was  the  brother  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Ben 
jamin  Franklin.  He  was  born  in  Boston,  where  his  father, 
who  was  a  respectable  man,  carried  on  the  business  of  a 
tallow  chandler,  at  the  Blue  Ball,  corner  of  Union  street. 
"With  this  brother  Dr.  Franklin  lived  several  years,  as  an 
apprentice,  and  learned  the  art  of  printing.  I  have  been 
informed  that  James  Franklin  served  an  apprenticeship 
with  a  printer  in  England,  where  his  father  was  born,  and 
had  connections. 

In  March,  17 J-f,1  J.  Franklin  came  from  London  with  a 
press  and  types,  and  began  business  in  Boston.  At  first 
he  printed  a  few  pamphlets  for  booksellers.  In  1719,  a 


1  Before  the  new  style  took  place  in  1752,  there  was  much  confusion 
respecting  dates,  particularly  in  regard  to  the  months  of  January  and 
February.  Some  writers  began  the  year  in  January,  and  others  in  March. 
The  difficulty  was  to  determine  whether  January  and  February  closed  an 
old  year,  or  began  a  new  one.  It  became  necessary  to  have  some  mode, 
by  which  it  might  be  known  to  what  year  January  and  February  belonged, 
whenever  these  months  were  mentioned.  For  this  purpose  the  following 
method  was  adopted:  During  January,  February,  and  to  the  2oth  of 
March,  the  year  was  thus  marked,  1716-17,  or  17{-f,  meaning,  that  by  the 
ancient  mode  of  calculating,  the  month  mentioned  belonged  to  the  year 
171G ;  but,  by  the  new  calculation,  to  the  year  1717.  After  the  24th  of 
March  there  was  no  difficulty ;  for  by  both  calculations,  the  succeeding 
months  were  included  in  the  new  year. 


110          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

postmaster  was  appointed  who  established  a  second  news 
paper  ;  for  until  this  time  The  Boston  News-Letter  was  the 
only  paper  which  had  been  published  in  British  America. 
The  title  of  the  new  paper  was  The  Boston  Gazette ,  and  J. 
Franklin  was  employed  to  print  it ; l  but,  within  seven 
months,  Philip  Musgrave,  being  appointed  to  the  post- 
office,  became  the  proprietor  of  the  Gazette,  and  employed 
another  printer ;  and  Franklin  employed  his  press  other 
wise  until  August  6,  1721;  when,  encouraged  by  a  num 
ber  of  respectable  characters,  who  were  desirous  of  having 
a  paper  of  a  different  cast  from  those  then  published,  he 
began  the  publication,  at  his  own  risk,  of  a  third  news 
paper,  entitled,  The  New  England  Courant.  Franklin's 
father  and  many  of  his  friends  were  inimical  to  this  under 
taking.  They  supposed  that  one  newspaper  was  enough 
for  the  whole  continent ;  and  they  apprehended  that 
another  must  occasion  absolute  ruin  to  the  printer. 
Franklin,  notwithstanding  their  remonstrances,  continued. 
This  weekly  publication,  like  the  others  issued  in  Boston, 
contained  only  a  foolscap  half  sheet,  but  occasionally  was 
enlarged  to  a  whole  sheet.  The  patrons  of  the  paper 
formed  themselves  into  a  club,  and  furnished  it  with  short 
original  essays,  generally  one  for  each  week,  in  imitation 
of  the  Spectator  and  other  periodical  publications  of  that 
class.  These  essays  soon  brought  the  Courant  into  notice ; 
the  rigid  puritans  warmly  opposed  it ;  but  men  of  differ- 


1  Dr.  Franklin,  in  writing  his  life,  was  incorrect  in  asserting,  that  the 
Courant  was  the  second  newspaper  published  in  America.  There  were 
three  papers  published  at  that  time,  viz.,  first,  The  Boston  Netrt- Letter  ; 
secondly,  Tlie  Boston  Gazette  ;  and  the  third  was  The  American  Mercury, 
published  at  Philadelphia  ;  of  course  the  Courant  was  the  fourth.  The 
doctor  probably  fell  into  this  mistake,  from  his  knowledge  that  his  brother 
first  printed  the  Gazette,  which,  in  fact,  was  the  second  paper  published 
in  Boston.  He  seems  to  have  mentioned  the  events  of  his  youth 
from  recollection  only ;  therefore,  we  cannot  wonder  if  he  erred  in 
respect  to  some  circumstances  of  minor  importance.  In  more  material 
concerns,  he  was  substantially  correct. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  Ill 

ent  sentiments  supported  it.  Among  others,  the  Rev. 
Increase  Mather,  who  was  one  of  Franklin's  first  sub 
scribers,  very  soon  denounced  The  Courant,  by  an  adver 
tisement  in  The  Boston  Gazette,  No,  114.1 

The  Courant  contained  very  little  news,  and  but  few 
advertisements.  It  took  a  decided  part  against  the  advo 
cates  of  inoculation  for  the  small  pox,  which  was  then 
beginning  to  be  introduced :  it  was  hostile  to  the  clergy, 
and  to  some  of  the  most  influential  men  in  civil  govern 
ment;  and,  it  attacked  some  of  the  religious  opinions  of 
the  day;  in  consequence,  frequent  assaults  were  made 
upon  its  writers ;  and,  in  their  defence,  they  abounded 
more  in  severe,  and  not  always  the  most  refined,  satire, 
than  in  argument.  While,  therefore,  the  Courant  gained 
a  currency  with  one  part  of  the  community,  it  excited  the 
resentment  of  another,  and  soon  attracted  the  notice  of 
government. 

Franklin  had  not  published  The  New  England  Courant 
twelve  months,  before  he  was  taken  into  custody,  publicly 
censured,  and  imprisoned  four  weeks,  by  the  government, 
for  publishing  what  were  called  scandalous  libels,  &c.2 

Being  released  from  his  confinement,  he  continued  the 
publication  of  the  Courant  until  January  14,  1723,  when 
an  order  of  council,  in  which  the  house  of  representatives 
concurred,  directed,  "  That  James  Franklin  be  strictly 
forbidden  by  this  Court  to  Print  or  Publish  the  New 
England  Courant,  or  any  Pamphlet  or  Paper  of  the  like 
Nature,  except  it  be  first  supervised  by  the  Secretary  of 
this  Province."3  This  order,  this  stride  of  despotism, 
could,  it  seems,  at  that  time,  be  carried  into  effect ;  but, 
at  this  day,  a  similar  attempt  would  excite  indignation,  or 
a  contemptuous  smile. 


!For  this  advertisement,  see  History  of  Newspapers—  Boston. 

2  See  resolve  of  council,  July  oth,  1722,  in  History  of  Newspapers. 

3  For  this  act  of  the  legislature,  see  Newspapers. 


112          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Franklin  was  not  inclined  to  subject  his  paper  to  licensers 
of  the  press,  and  he  was  unwilling  to  stop  the  publication 
of  it ;  but,  he  dared  not  proceed  in  defiance  of  the  order 
of  the  legislature.  The  club  wished  for  the  continuance 

o 

of  the  paper;  and,  a  consultation  on  the  subject  was 
held  in  Franklin's  printing  house,  the  result  of  which 
was,  that  to  evade  the  order  of  the  legislature,  the  New 
England  Courant  should,  in  future,  be  published  by  Benja 
min  Franklin,  then  an  apprentice  to  James.  Accordingly, 
the  next  Courant  had  the  following  imprint :  "  Boston, 
printed  and  sold  by  Benjamin  Franklin,  in  Queen  Street, 
where  advertisements  are  taken  in."  About  a  year  after 
ward,  J.  Franklin  removed  his  printing  house  to  Union 
street.  The  Courant  was  published  in  the  name  of  Benja 
min  Franklin,  for  more  than  three  years  ;  !  and,  probably, 
until  its  publication  ceased;  but  it  appears  from  Dr. 
Franklin's  life,  that  he  did  not  remain  for  a  long  time 
with  his  brother  after  the  Courant  began  to  be  printed  in 
his  name. 

J.  Franklin  remained  in  Boston  for  several  years.  He 
continued  to  publish  the  Courant,  and  printed  several 
small  works.  He  had  a  brother,  by  the  name  of  John, 
who  was  married  and  settled  at  Newport  in  the  business 
of  a  tallow  chandler.  Not  satisfied  with  his  situation  in 
Boston,  and  receiving  an  invitation  from  his  brother  and 
other  persons  in  Rhode  Island,  he  removed  to  Newport, 
and  set  up  the  first  printing  press  in  that  colony;  and,  in 
the  latter  part  of  September,  1732,  he  published  the  first 
number  of  The  Rhode  Island  Gazette. —  See  Rhode  Island. 

James  Franklin  had  learned,  in  England,  the  art  of 
calico  printing,  and  did  something  at  the  business,  both 
in  Boston  and  Newport.  The  Boston  Gazette  of  April  25, 
1720,  then  printed  by  him  for  the  postmaster,  contains 


1  Appendix  G. 


MASSACHUSETTS  .  113 

the  following  advertisement :  "  The  Printer  hereof  prints 
Linens,  Calicoes,  Silks,  &c.,  in  good  Figures,  very  lively 
and  durable  colours,  and  without  the  offensive  smell  which 
commonly  attends  the  Linens  printed  here."1 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN.  Well  known  and  highly  cele 
brated  in  this  country  and  in  Europe,  was  born  in  Boston, 
January  17th,  170|.  His  father  was  an  Englishman,  and 
served  an  apprenticeship  with  a  silk  dyer  in  Northamp 
tonshire.2  He  came  to  Boston  with  his  wife  and  three 
children ;  and,  after  his  arrival  in  America,  he  had  four 
other  children  by  the  same  wife^  She  dying,  he  married 
a  native  of  iSTew  England,  by  whom  he  had  ten  children ; 
two  daughters  excepted,  Benjamin  was  the  youngest  child 
by  the  second  wife.3 

Franklin's  father  settled  in  Boston;  but,  finding  the 
business  to  which  he  had  been  bred  insufficient  to  afford 
him  a  maintenance,  he  relinquished  it,  and  assumed  that 
of  a  soap  boiler  and  tallow  chandler,  in  which  occupations 
Benjamin  was  employed  from  the  tenth  to  the  twelfth 
year  of  his  life. 

Franklin  was  dissatisfied  with  the  business  of  his  father, 
and  felt  a  strong  inclination  for  a  seafaring  life.  His 
father  was  extremely  averse  to  that  plan,  and  through  fear 
that  Benjamin  might,  in  a  clandestine  manner,  get  to  sea, 
he  concluded  to  bind  him  apprentice  to  his  nephew,  who 
was  settled  in  Boston,  as  a  cutler ;  but  not  agreeing  with 
his  nephew  on  conditions,  and  Benjamin  expressing  a 
wish  to  be  a  printer,  his  father  consented  to  gratify  this 


J  James  Franklin  died  in  1735,  leaving  his  printing  office  to  his  wife 
and  family,  who  continued  it  successfully  for  several  years  after  his 
death. — M. 

2  More  probabty  wool  dyer  in  Oxfordshire.     See  Autobiography  of  B. 
Franklin.— II. 

3  Franklin's  Life,  first  London  edition,  12mo,  from  which  I  have  taken 
most  of  the  particulars  respecting  him. 


114  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

inclination.  At  this  time,  1717,  James  Franklin  returned 
from  England  with  printing  materials,  and  commenced 
business  in  Boston ;  and  Benjamin,  at  the  age  of  twelve 
years,  signed  indentures,  and  became  his  apprentice. 

Pleased  with  his  new  employment,  Franklin  soon  be 
came  useful  to  his  brother.  He  borrowed  books,  and  read 
them  with  avidity  and  profit.  At  an  early  age,  he  wrote 
stanzas  on  the  capture  of  Black  Beard,  a  noted  pirate, 
and  on  other  occurrences.  These  verses,  he  observes, 
"  were  miserable  ditties,"  but  his  brother  printed  them,  and 
sent  Benjamin  about  the  town  to  sell  them.  One  of  these 
compositions,  he  remarks,  "  had  a  prodigious  run,  because 
the  event  was  recent,  and  had  made  a  great  noise." 

When  his  brother  printed  a  newspaper,  Benjamin  felt 
increased  satisfaction  with  his  business ;  and  he  soon 
began,  privately,  to  compose  short  essays,  which  he  art 
fully  introduced  for  publication  without  exciting  suspicion 
of  his  being  the  author.  These  wrere  examined  and 
approved  by  the  club  of  writers  for  the  Courant,  to  the 
great  gratification  of  the  writer,  who  eventually  made 
himself  known. 

It  has  already  been  stated,  in  the  account  given  of  James 
Franklin,  that  he  was  forbidden  by  the.  General  court  to 
proceed  in  the  publication  of  the  Coumnt,  except  on  cer 
tain  conditions.  With  the  terms  dictated  James  deter 
mined  that  he  would  not  comply ;  and,  with  a  view  to 
evade  the  injunctions  of  the  government,  the  name  of  his 
brother  Benjamin  was  substituted  in  the  place  of  his  own, 
and  the  publication  was  continued.  "  To  avoid  the  censure 
of  the  General  assembly,  who  might  charge  James  Frank 
lin  with  still  printing  the  paper  under  the  name  of  his 
apprentice,  it  was  resolved  that  Benjamin's  indentures 
should  be  given  up  to  him,  with  a  full  and  entire  discharge 
written  on  the  back,  in  order  to  be  produced  on  any 
emergency;  but  that  to  secure  to  James  the  service  of 


MASSACHUSETTS.  115 

Benjamin,  it  was  agreed  the  latter  should  sign  a  new  con 
tract,  which  should  be  kept  secret  during  the  remainder 
of  the  term."  This,  Benjamin  observes,  in  his  Life,  was 
a  very  shallow  arrangement,  but  it  was  put  into  immediate 
execution.  Though  the  paper  was  still  issued  in  Benjamin's 
name,  he  did  not  remain  with  his  brother  long  after  this 
arrangement  was  made.  They  disagreed,  and  in  the 
eighteenth  year  of  his  age  he  privately  quitted  James,  and 
took  passage  in  a  vessel  for  New  York.  At  this  time 
there  was  but  one  printer  in  New  York,  and  from  him 
Franklin  could  obtain  no  employment ;  but  he  gave  our 
adventurer  encouragement,  that  his  son,  who  printed  in 
Philadelphia,  would  furnish  him  with  work.  In  pursuit  of 
this  object,  he  entered  a  ferry  boat  on  his  way  to  Phila 
delphia;  and,  after  a  very  disagreeable  passage,  reached 
Amboy.  From  that  place  he  traveled  on  foot  to  Burling 
ton,  where  he  was  hospitably  entertained,  for  several  days, 
by  an  aged  woman  who  sold  gingerbread.  When  an 
opportunity  presented  to  take  passage  in  a  boat,  he 
embraced  it,  and  reached  Philadelphia  in  safety. 

As  Franklin  afterwards  obtained  the  highest  offices  in 
civil  government,  and  was  greatly  celebrated  as  a  states 
man  and  a  philosopher,  the  particulars  of  this  apparently 
inauspicious  period  of  his  life  are  singularly  interesting ; 
I  will,  therefore,  give  his  own  narrative  of  his  entrance 
into  the  capital  of  Pennsylvania,  of  which  he  was  destined 
to  become  the  governor. 

"  On  my  arrival  at  Philadelphia,  I  was  in  my  working 
dress,  my  best  clothes  being  to  come  by  sea.  I  was 
covered  with  dirt ;  my  pockets  were  filled  with  shirts  and 
stockings ;  I  was  unacquainted  with  a  single  soul  in  the 
place,  and  knew  not  where  to  seek  for  a  lodging.  Fatigued 
with  walking,  rowing,  and  having  past  the  night  without 
sleep,  I  was  extremely  hungry,  and  all  my  money  consisted 
of  a  Dutch  dollar,  and  about  a  shilling's  worth  of  coppers, 


116          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

which  I  gave  to  the  boatmen  for  my  passage.  As  I  had 
assisted  them  in  rowing,  they  refused  it  at  first ;  but  I 
insisted  on  their  taking  it.  A  man  is  sometimes  more  gene 
rous  when  he  has  little,  than  when  he  has  much  money ; 
probably  because  in  the  first  case  he  is  desirous  of  con 
cealing  his  poverty.  I  walked  towards  the  top  of  the  street, 
looking  eagerly  on  both  sides,  till  I  came  to  Market  street, 
where  I  met  a  child  with  a  loaf  of  bread.  Often  had  I 
made  my  dinner  on  dry  bread.  I  enquired  where  he  had 
bought  it,  and  went  straight  to  the  baker's  shop,  which 
he  pointed  out  to  me.  I  asked  for  some  biscuits,  expect 
ing  to  find  such  as  we  had  at  Boston  ;  but  they  made,  it 
seems,  none  of  that  sort  in  Philadelphia,  I  then  asked 
for  a  threepenny  loaf.  They  made  no  loaves  of  that  price. 
Finding  myself  ignorant  of  the  prices,  as  well  as  the  dif 
ferent  kinds  of  bread,  I  desired  him  to  let  me  have  three 
penny  worth  of  bread  of  some  kind  or  other.  He  gave 
me  three  large  rolls.  I  was  surprized  at  receiving  so 
much;  I  took  them,  however,  and  having  no  room  in  my 
pockets,  I  walked  on  with  a  roll  under  each  arm,  eating 
the  third.  In  this  manner  I  went  through  Market  street 

o 

to  Fourth  street,  and  passed  the  house  of  Mr.  Read,  the 
father  of  my  future  wife.  She  was  standing  at  the  door, 
observed  me,  and  thought,  with  reason,  that  I  made  a  very 
singular  and  grotesque  appearance. 

"  I  then  turned  the  corner,  and  went  through  Chestnut 
street,  eating  my  roll  all  the  way ;  and,  having  made  this 
round,  I  found  myself  again  on  Market  street  wharf,  near 
the  boat  in  which  I  had  arrived.  I  stepped  into  it  to  take 
a  draught  of  the  river  water ;  and,  finding  myself  satisfied 
with  my  first  roll,  I  gave  the  other  two  to  a  woman  and 
her  child,  who  had  come  down  the  river  with  us  in  the 
boat,  and  was  waiting  to  continue  her  journey.  Thus 
refreshed,  I  regained  the  street,  which  was  now  full  of 
well  dressed  people,  all  going  the  same  way.  I  joined 


MASSACHUSETTS.  117 

them,  and  was  thus  led  to  a  large  Quaker's  meeting-house, 
near  the  market  place.  I  sat  down  with  the  rest,  and 
after  looking  round  me  for  some  time,  hearing  nothing 
said,  and  being  drowsy  from  my  last  night's  labor  and 
want  of  rest,  I  fell  into  a  sound  sleep.  In  this  state  I 
continued  till  the  assembly  dispersed,  when  one  of  the 
congregation  had  the  goodness  to  wake  me.  This  was 
consequently  the  first  house  I  entered,  or  in  which  I  slept, 
at  Philadelphia. 

"  I  began  again  to  walk  along  the  street  by  the  river 
side,  and  looking  attentively  in  the  face  of  every  one  I  met, 
I  at  length  perceived  a  young  quaker,  whose  countenance 
pleased  me.  I  accosted  him,  and  begged  him  to  inform 
me  where  a  stranger  might  find  a  lodging.  We  were 
then  near  the  sign  of  the  Three  Mariners.  They  receive 
travellers  here,  said  he,  but  it  is  not  a  house  that  bears  a 
good  character ;  if  you  will  go  with  me  I  will  shew  you  a 
better  one.  He  conducted  me  to  the  Crooked  Billet,  in 
Water  street.  There  I  ordered  something  for  dinner,  and 
during  my  meal  a  number  of  curious  questions  were  put 
to  rue ;  my  youth  and  appearance  exciting  the  suspicion 
that  I  was  a  runaway.  After  dinner  my  drowsiness 
returned,  and  I  threw  myself  on  a  bed  without  taking  off 
my  clothes,  and  slept  till  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when 
I  was  called  to  supper.  I  afterward  went  to  bed  at  a  very 
early  hour,  and  did  not  awake  till  the  next  morning. 

"  As  soon  as  I  got  up  I  put  myself  in  as  decent  a  trim 
as  I  could,  and  went  to  the  house  of  Andrew  Bradford 
the  printer.  I  found  his  father  in  the  shop,  whom  I  had 
seen  at  Xew  York.  Having  travelled  on  horseback,  he 
had  arrived  at  Philadelphia  before  me.  He  introduced 
me  to  his  son,  who  received  me  with  civility,  and  gave  me 
some  breakfast ;  but  told  me  he  had  no  occasion  at  present 
for  a  journeyman,  having  lately  procured  one.  He  added, 
that  there  was  another  printer  newly  settled  in  the  town, 


118          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

of  the  name  of  Keimer,  who  might,  perhaps,  employ  me  ; 
and,  that  in  case  of  a  refusal,  I  should  be  welcome  to  lodge 
at  his  house,  and  he  would  give  me  a  little  work  now  and 
then,  till  something  better  should  offer. 

"  The  old  man  offered  to  introduce  me  to  the  new  printer. 
When  we  were  at  his  house,  £  Neighbor,'  said  he,  i  I  bring 
you  a  young  man  in  the  printing  business ;  perhaps  you 
may  have  need  of  his  services.'  Keimer  asked  me  some 
questions,  put  a  composing  stick  in  my  hand  to  see  how  I 
coiild  work,  and  then  said,  that  at  present  he  had  nothing 
for  me  to  do,  but  that  he  should  soon  be  able  to  employ 
me.  At  the  same  time,  taking  old  Bradford  for  an 
inhabitant  of  the  town  well  disposed  towards  him,  he  com 
municated  his  project  to  him,  and  the  prospect  he  had  of 
success.  Bradford  was  careful  not  to  betray  that  he  was 
the  father  of  the  other  printer;  and  from  what  Keimer 
had  said,  that  he  hoped  shortly  to  be  in  possession  of  the 
greater  part  of  the  business  of  the  town,  led  him  by  artful 
questions,  and  by  starting  some  difficulties,  to  disclose  all 
his  views,  what  his  hopes  were  founded  upon,  and  how 
he  intended  to  proceed.  I  was  present,  and  heard  it  all. 
I  instantly  saw  that  one  of  the  two  was  a  cunning  old  fox, 
and  the  other  a  perfect  novice.  Bradford  left  me  with 
Keimer,  who  was  strangely  surprized  when  I  informed 
him  who  the  old  man  was." 

Keimer  encouraged  Franklin  with  the  hope  of  employ 
ment  in  a  short  time,  and  he  returned  to  Bradford's.  In 
a  few  days  after  he  began  to  work  for  Keimer,  but  con 
tinued  to  board  with  Bradford.  This  was  not  agreeable 
to  Keimer,  and  he  procured  a  lodging  for  him  at  Mr. 
Read's,  who  has  been  already  mentioned.  "  My  trunk 
and  effects  being  now  arrived,"  says  Franklin,  "  I  thought 
of  making,  in  the  eyes  of  Miss  Read,  a  more  respectable 
appearance,  than  when  chance  exhibited  me  to  her  view, 
eating  my  rolls  and  wandering  in  the  streets." 


MASSACHUSETTS.  119 

Franklin  remained  about  seven  months  in  Philadelphia, 
worked  for  Keimer,  and  formed  many  acquaintances, 
some  of  them  very  respectable.  Accident  procured  him 
an  interview  with  Governor  Keith,  who  made  him  great 
promises  of  friendship  and  patronage ;  persuaded  him  to 
visit  his  father,  which  he  accordingly  did,  and  was  bearer 
of  a  letter  the  governor  wrote  to  him,  mentioning  the  son 
in  the  most  flattering  terms  ;  and  recommending  his  esta 
blishment  as  a  printer  at  Philadelphia,  under  assurances 
of  success.  Franklin  was  at  this  time  only  in  the  nine 
teenth  year  of  his  age,  and  his  father  declined  to  assist  in 
establishing  him  in  business  on  account  of  his  youth  and 
inexperience ;  but  he  answered  Governor  Keith's  letter, 
thanking  him  for  the  attentions  and  patronage  he  had 
exercised  toward  his  son.  Franklin  determined  to  return 
to  Philadelphia.  At  iSTew  York,  on  his  way,  he  received 
some  attentions  from  the  governor  of  that  colony.1  On 
his  arrival  at  Philadelphia  he  presented  his  father's  letter 
to  Governor  Keith.  The  governor  disapproved  of  the  cau 
tion  of  his  father ;  still  urged  the  prosecution  of  the  scheme ; 
promised  himself  to  be  at  all  the  expense  of  procuring 
printing  materials  ;  and  advised  Franklin  to  make  a  voy 
age  to  England,  and  select  the  types,  under  his  own  eye, 
at  the  founder y.  To  this  plan  Franklin  agreed,  and  it  was 
settled  that  the  design  should  be  kept  secret,  until  an 
opportunity  presented  for  his  taking  passage  for  London. 
In  the  meantime  he  continued  to  work  for  Keimer. 

When  a  vessel  was  about  to  sail,  the  governor  promised 
from  day  to  day  to  give  Franklin  letters  of  credit  upon  his 
correspondent  in  London;  and,  when  he  was  called  onboard 
ship,  the  governor  told  him  that  he  would  send  his  letters 
to  him  on  board.  At  the  moment  of  sailing,  letters  were 

O ' 

brought  from  the  governor  and  put  into  the  ship's  letter 


1  Bui-net,  who  was  soon  after  governor  of  Massachusetts. 


120  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

bag;  among-  which  Franklin  supposed  were  those  that 
had  been  promised  him.  But  when  he  reached  his  port, 
he  found,  on  investigation,  that  he  had  neither  letters  of 
credit  nor  introduction.  The  governor  had  deceived  him, 
and  he  landed  a  stranger  in  a  strange  country. 

Destitute  and  friendless,  Franklin's  only  means  of  sup 
port  consisted  in  his  capacity  to  labor.  He  immediately 
applied  to  a  printer  for  employment  as  a  journeyman,  and 
obtained  it.  In  this  situation  he  continued  for  eighteen 
months,  and  gained  much  knowledge  in  the  art  of  print 
ing.  He  then  formed  a  connection  with  a  mercantile 
friend,  whom  he  assisted  as  a  clerk;  and,  with  him,  he 
returned  to  Philadelphia.  This  friend  soon  died,  and 
Franklin  relinquished  the  plan  of  mercantile  pursuits. 
He  returned  to  the  business  of  a  printer  as  a  journeyman ; 
but,  soon  after,  opened  a  printing  house  of  his  own  in 
Philadelphia.  [See  Philadelphia  Printers.'] 

TIMOTHY  GREEN,  JUN.  He  was  the  son  of  Timothy 
Green,  who  removed  from  Boston  to  New  London  in  1714 ; 
and  great  grandson  of  Samuel  Green,  of  Cambridge.  I 
have  seen  no  printing  with  his  name  before  1726.  One  or 
two  pamphlets  were  then  printed  by  S.  Kneeland  and  T. 
Green.  t  Several  small  publications  appeared  afterwards 
with  Kneeland's  name  only.  In  1727,  a  regular  partner 
ship  took  place  between  them,  under  the  firm  of  S.  Knee- 
land  £  T.  Green.  This  partnership,  as  has  been  mentioned, 
continued  till  1752,  when  he  removed  to  New  London, 
and  succeeded  his  father.  [See  Kneeland  and  Green,  and 
printers  in  Connecticut.^ 

BARTHOLOMEW  GREEN,  JUN.,  was  the  son  of  Bartholomew 
Green,  printer  of  The  Boston  News-Letter,  grandson  to 
Samuel  Green,  who  printed  at  Cambridge,  and  served  an 
apprenticeship  with  his  father.  The  earliest  works  I  have 


MASSACHUSETTS.  121 

seen  printed  by  Bartholomew  Green,  Jun.,  are,  a  small 
book  published  in  1726,  and  the  Boston  Gazette,  for  the 
postmaster,  Henry  Marshall,  in  1727. 

He  made  use  of  his  press  and  types  in  the  printing  house 
of  his  father,  till  1734;  and  was,  occasionally,  connected 
with  John  Draper,  his  brother-in-law,  in  printing  pamph 
lets,  etc.  Draper  succeeded  to  the  business  of  B.  Green 
the  elder  in  1732,  in  the  same  house.  On  the  night  of  the 
30th  of  January,  1734,  this  house,  with  the  greatest  part 
of  its  contents,  was  destroyed  by  fire.  After  this  misfor 
tune,  B.  Green,  Jr.,  formed  a  copartnership  with  John 
Bushell  and  Bezoune  Allen.1  The  firm  of  this  company 
was  GREEN,  BUSHELL  &  ALLEN.  They  printed  a  number 
of  small  books  for  the  trade,  which  were  very  well  executed. 
They  used  handsome  types,  and  printed  on  good  paper. 
How  long  this  partnership  continued,  I  cannot  say ;  it  was 
dissolved  before  1751. 

In  September,  1751,  Green  with  his  printing  materials 
removed  to  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  intending  to  establish  a 
press  in  that  place  ;  but  he  died  in  about  five  weeks  after 
his  arrival  there,  at  the  age  of  fifty-two  years.  On  his 
decease,  his  late  partner  Bushell  went  to  Halifax,  and 
commenced  business  with  Green's  press. 

Green  left  several  children,  and  two  of  his  sons  were 
printers.  Bartholomew,  the  eldest  of  them,  never  had  a 
press  of  his  own.  The  following  peculiarity  in  his  cha 
racter  introduced  him  to  a  particular  intercourse  with  the 
merchants  of  the  town  ;  he  made  himself  so  well  acquainted 
with  every  vessel  which  sailed  out  of  the  port  of  Boston, 


Bozoun,  Bozoune  or  Bozoon  Allen,  was  an  ancient  and 
respectable  name  in  Boston.  In  1647,  an  order  of  the  court  was  signed 
by  John  Winthrop,  Governor,  and  Bozoun  Allen,  on  the  part  of  the  house. 
In  1691,  Capt,  Bezoone  Allen  was  one  of  the  selectmen.  In  1693,  Bozoun 
Allen  held  the  same  office.  In  1694,  Capt.  Bozoone  Allen  was  assessor. 
In  1700,  Bozoon  Allen  was  chosen  representative. —  Drake's  Boston,  pp. 
327,  492,  503,  506,  522.— //. 


122        HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

as  to  know  each  at  sight.  Perpetually  on  the  watch,  as 
soon  as  a  vessel  could  be  discovered  with  a  spyglass  in 
the  harbor,  he  knew  it,  and  gave  immediate  information 
to  the  owner;  and,  by  the  small  fees  for  this  kind  of 
information,  he  principally  maintained  himself  for  several 
years.  Afterwards  he  had  some  office  in  the  custom  house. 
John,  another  son,  will  be  mentioned  hereafter.  One  of 
the  daughters  of  Green  was  the  mother  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Dennie,  formerly  editor  of  The  Farmer's  Museum,  at  Wai- 
pole,  New  Hampshire,  and  also  of  The  Port  Folio,  pub 
lished  at  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Dennie  was  reckoned  among 
the  first  scholars  in  the  belles-lettres,  which  our  country 
has  produced. 

GAMALIEL  ROGERS  served  his  apprenticeship  with  Bar 
tholomew  Green  the  elder.  About  the  year  1729,  he 
began  business  in  a  printing  house  near  the  Mill  Bridge. 
He  printed  for  the  booksellers.  In  1742,  he  commenced 
a  partnership  with  Daniel  Fowle,  under  the  firm  of  ROGERS 
&  FOWLE.  They  opened  a  printing  house  in  Prison  lane, 
for  some  time  called  Queen  street,  and  now  named  Court 
street.  For  those  times  they  entered  largely  into  business, 
and  the  books  they  printed,  in  magnitude  and  variety, 
exceeded  the  usual  works  of  the  country.  A  number  of 
octavo  and  duodecimo  volumes  issued  from  their  house;  and 
their  printing  was  executed  with  accuracy  and  neatness. 
Several  of  these  books  were  printed  on  their  own  account. 

In  1743,  they  issued  The  American  Magazine.  It  was 
published  in  numbers,  monthly,  printed  in  a  handsome 
manner,  and  in  its  execution  was  deemed  equal  to  any  work 
of  the  kind  then  published  in  London.  Several  respecta 
ble  booksellers  were  interested  in  this  magazine.  It  was 
continued  for  three  years. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1748,  they  commenced  the 
publication  of  a  newspaper  entitled  The  Independent  Adver- 


MASSACHUSETTS.  123 

User.  A  number  of  able  writers  supported  and  enlivened 
this  publication.  Its  prominent  features  were  political. 
In  1750,  they  closed  the  business  of  the  firm,  and  the 
Independent  Advertiser  was  then  discontinued. 

During  the  partnership  of  Rogers  and  Fowle,  they 
printed  an  edition  of  about  two  thousand  copies  of  the 
New  Testament,  12mo,  for  D.  Henchman  and  two  or 
three  other  principal  booksellers,  as  has  been  already 
observed.  This  impression  of  the  Testament,  the  first  in 
the  English  language  printed  in  this  country,  was,  as  I 
have  been  informed,  completed  at  the  press  before  Knee- 
land  and  Green  began  the  edition  of  the  Bible  which  has 
been  mentioned.  Zechariah  Fowle,  with  whom  I  served 
my  apprenticeship,  as  well  as  several  others,  repeatedly 
mentioned  to  me  this  edition  of  the  Testament.  He  was, 
at  the  time,  a  journeyman  with  Rogers  and  Fowle,  and 
worked  at  the  press.  He  informed  me  that,  on  account 
of  the  weakness  of  his  constitution,  he  greatly  injured  his 
health  by  the  performance.  Privacy  in  the  business  was 
necessary;  and  as  few  hands  were  intrusted  with  the 
secret,  the  press  work  was,  as  he  thought,  very  laborious. 
I  mention  these  minute  circumstances  in  proof  that  an 
edition  of  the  Testament  did  issue  from  the  office  of  Rogers 
and  Fowle,  because  I  have  heard  that  the  fact  has  been 
disputed. 

Rogers  and  Fowle  were  correct  printers.  They  used 
good  types,  paper,  and  excellent  ink  of  their  own  manu 
facture.  They  were  the  only  printers,  I  believe,  who  at 
that  time  could  make  good  ink.  The  printing  ink  used 
in  this  country,  until  later,  was  chiefly  imported  from 
Europe.  In  the  first  stages  of  printing,  printers  made 
their  own  ink  and  types ;  but  the  manufacture  of  types 
and  ink  soon  became  separate  branches  of  business.  Most 
of  the  bad  printing  in  the  United  States,  particularly  in 
New  England,  during  the  revolutionary  war,  was  occa- 


124          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

sioned  by  the  wretched  ink,  and  more  wretched  paper, 
which  printers  were  then  under  the  necessity  of  using. 

After  the  dissolution  of  the  partnership  of  Rogers  and 
Fowle,  Rogers  removed  to  the  west  part  of  the  town,  then 
called  New  Boston  ;  and  there  opened  a  printing  house. 
For  two  or  three  years  he  did  a  little  business  in  this  place, 
when  his  printing  house  was,  unfortunately,  burnt  down. 
By  this  accident  he  was  deprived  of  his  press,  and  the 
principal  part  of  his  types.  Having  lost  most  of  his  pro 
perty,  he  did  no  more  business  as  a  printer.  His  spirits 
were  broken,  and  he  appeared  dejected.  At  an  advanced 
period  of  life  he  opened  a  small  shop  opposite  to  the  Old 
South  church,  where  he  supported  his  family  by  retailing 
ardent  spirits  in  small  quantities,  trifling  articles  of  grocery, 
and  by  vending  a  few  pamphlets,  the  remnant  of  his  stock. 
I  went  myself  frequently  to  his  shop,  when  a  minor.  He 
knew  that  I  lived  with  a  printer,  and  for  this,  or  some 
other  reason,  was  very  kind  to  me ;  he  gave  me  some 
books  of  his  printing,  and,  what  was  of  more  value  to  me, 
good  advice.  He  admonished  me  diligently  to  attend  to 
my  business,  that  I  might  become  a  reputable  printer.  I 
held  him  in  high  veneration,  and  often  recollected  his 
instructions,  which,  on  many  occasions,  proved  beneficial 
to  me. 

Rogers  was  industrious,  and  an  excellent  workman  ;  an 
amiable,  sensible  man,  and  a  good  Christian.  In  1775, 
soon  after  the  battle  at  Bunker's  hill,  when  Boston  was 
wholly  in  possession  of  the  British  troops,  and  besieged  by 
the  provincials,  Rogers  was  among  a  number  of  the  infirm 
and  invalid  inhabitants  of  that  town  who  obtained  permis 
sion  from  the  British  general  to  leave  it.  He  sought  an 
asylum  at  Ipswich ;  removed  there,  and  died  at  that  place 
in  the  autumn  of  that  year,  aged  70.  He  left  several 
daughters  but  no  sons ;  two  of  his  daughters  married 
clergymen;  one  of  them  was  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Elijah 


MASSACHUSETTS.  125 

Parsons  of  East  Haddam,  in  Connecticut,  and  the  other  the 
second  wife  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Dana  of  Ipswich. 

Joim  DRAPER,  was  the  son  of  Richard  Draper,  a  trader 
in  Boston.  He  served  his  apprenticeship  with  Bartholo 
mew  Green,  Sen.,  whose  daughter  he  married ;  and,  at  the 
decease  of  his  father-in-law,  occupied  his  printing  house  in 
JSTewbury  street. 

In  September,  1731,  Draper  commenced  the  publication 
of  a  political  paper,  entitled  The  Weekly  Rehearsal.  It  was 
printed,  according  to  the  custom  of  those  times,  on  a  half 
sheet  of  small  paper ;  and  was  carried  on  at  the  expense 
of  some  gentlemen  who  formed  themselves  into  a  political 
or  literary  club,  and  wrote  for  it.  At  the  head  of  this  club 
was  the  late  celebrated  Jeremy  Gridley,  Esq.,1  who  was 
the  real  editor  of  the  paper.  The  receipts  for  the  Rehearsal 
never  amounted  to  more  than  enough  to  defray  the  expense 
of  publication.  Draper  printed  this  paper  only  about  a 
year  and  a  half,  and  at  the  expiration  of  about  four  years 
it  was  discontinued. 

On  the  28th  of  December,  1732,  Bartholomew  Green 
died,  and  Draper  succeeded  him  in  his  business  ;  particu 
larly  as  publisher  of  The  Boston  Weekly  News-Letter.  In 
1734,  he  printed  the  laws  of  the  province.  He  was  after 
ward  appointed  printer  to  the  governor  and  council,  and 
was  honored  with  that  mark  of  confidence  and  favor  as 
long  as  he  lived. 

Draper  not  only  succeeded  Bartholomew  Green  in  his 
business,  but  he  was  heir  to  his  calamities  also.  On  the 
night  of  the  30th  of  January,  1734,  the  flames  were  seen 
to  burst  from  his  printing  house,  but  too  late  for  any 


1  Mr.  Gridley  was  afterward  attorney  general  of  the  province  of  Massa 
chusetts,  grand  master  of  the  society  of  free  masons,  president  of  the 
marine  society,  and  a  memher  of  the  general  court.  He  died  in  Septem 
ber,  1707. 


126          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

effectual  assistance  to  be  afforded.  The  fire  had  kindled 
in  the  interior  part  of  the  building,  which  was  burnt  to 
the  ground,  and  nearly  the  whole  of  the  printing  mate 
rials  were  destroyed.  This  loss  was  in  some  measure 
repaired  by  the  friendship  of  his  brethren  of  the  type,  who 
loaned  to  him  a  press,  and  several  founts  of  letters,  till  he 
could  replace  those  articles  by  a  new  printing  apparatus 
from  England. 

He  printed  a  number  of  books  for  the  trade ;  but  pub 
lished  only  a  few  small  pamphlets  for  his  own  sales.  He 
annually  printed  Ames's  famous  Almanac,  for  himself 
and  for  booksellers  ;  of  which  about  sixty  thousand  copies 
were  annually  sold  in  the  New  England  colonies. 

Draper  owned  the  house  in  which  he  resided.  It  was 
in  Cornhill,  the  east  corner  of  the  short  alley  leading  to 
the  church  in  Brattle  street.  He  was  an  industrious  and 
useful  member  of  society,  and  was  held  in  estimation  by 
his  friends  and  acquaintances.  He  died  November  29th, 
1762,  and  was  succeeded  in  business  by  his  son. 

The  following  character  of  Draper  is  extracted  from  the 
Boston  Evening  Post  of  December  6,  1762  : 

"  On  Monday  Evening  last  departed  this  Life  after  a 
slow  and  hectic  Disorder,  having  just  entered  the  61st 
Year  of  his  Age,  Mr.  John  Draper,  Printer,  who  for  along 
Time  has  been  the  Publisher  of  a  News-Paper  in  this 
Town ;  and  by  his  Industry,  Fidelity  and  Prudence  in  his 
Business,  rendered  himself  very  agreeable  to  the  Public. 
His  Charity  and  Benevolence ;  his  pleasant  and  sociable 
Turn  of  Mind ;  his  tender  Affection  as  a  Husband  and 
Parent ;  his  Piety  and  Devotion  to  his  Maker,  has  made 
his  Death  as  sensibly  felt  by  his  Friends  and  Relations,  as 
his  Life  is  worthy  Imitation."  l 


1  Sec  Historical  Magazine,  vu,  3d  scries,  p.  219. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  127 

JOHN  BUSIIELL  was  born  in  Boston,  where  he  served  an 
apprenticeship.  He  began  business  about  the  year  1734  ; 
and,  as  I  have  been  informed,  printed  The  Boston  Weekly 
Post  Boy,  during  a  short  period,  for  Ellis  Huske,  postmas 
ter.  He  was  afterward  of  the  firm  of  Green,  Bushell  & 
Allen.  They  did  but  little  business  while  together,  and 
the  connection  was  dissolved  about  1750.  Upon  the  ter 
mination  of  the  partnership,  Green,  as  has  been  mentioned, 
removed  to  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia ;  and,  as  he  died  a  few 
weeks  after  his  arrival,  Bushell  went  to  Halifax,  and  with 
Green's  apparatus  established  a  press  in  that  place.  He 
was  the  first  who  printed  in  that  province.  [See  Nova 
Scotia.'] 

BEZOTJNE  ALLEN  was,  probably,  the  son  of  John  Allen. 
He  entered  on  business,  according  to  report,  about  the 
year  1734 ;  and  was,  for  several  years,  of  the  firm  of  Green, 
Bushell  and  Allen.  This  copartnership  was  formed,  I 
believe,  in  1736.  I  have  seen  books  printed  by  them  as 
late  as  1745 ;  but  I  have  not  discovered  that  any  thing 
was  printed  by  Allen  separately.  They  never  were  in 
extensive  business ;  and  what  they  did  consisted,  princi 
pally,  of  small  works  for  the  booksellers. 

JONAS  GREEN  was  the  son  of  the  elder  Timothy  Green, 
who  removed  from  Boston  and  settled  at  New  London  in 
1714,  and  great-grandson  of  Samuel  Green,  printer  at 
Cambridge.  He  was  born  at  Boston,  and  served  his 
apprenticeship  with  his  father  in  New  London.  When  of 
age,  he  came  to  Boston,  and  was  several  years  in  the  print 
ing  house  of  his  brother,  who  was  then  the  partner  of  S. 
Kne  eland. 

I  have  seen  but  one  book  printed  by  Jonas  Green  in 
Boston,  viz. :  A  Grammar  of  the  Hebrew  Tongue,  by  Judah 
Monis,  professor  of  the  Hebrew  language,  at  .Harvard  Col- 


128          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

lege,  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts.  Good  judges  pro 
nounced  this  work  to  be  correctly  printed.  I  have  seen  a 
copy  of  it  in  the  theological  library  in  Boston,  where  the 
original  manuscript  is  preserved.  The  Hebrew  types 
were  a  cast  belonging  to  the  college,  which  have  since 
been  used  in  printing  Professor  Sewall's  Hebrew  Grammar, 
and  I  suppose  are  now  in  the  museum  of  the  University. 

Green  resided  several  years  in  Philadelphia;  and  dur 
ing  that  time  was  employed  in  the  printing  houses  of 
Bradford  and  Franklin. 

In  1739,  as  there  was  not  a  printer  in  Maryland,  the 
legislature  of  that  province  employed  an  agent  to  procure 
one.  Green,  being  well  recommended  by  his  employers, 
made  application  to  the  agent,  and  obtained  the  place  of 
printer  to  that  government.  In  consequence  of  the  liberal 
encouragement  he  received,  he  opened  a  printing  house  at 
Annapolis  in  1740.  [See  printers  in  Maryland.'] 

EBENEZER  LOVE.  I  have  not  been  able  to  obtain  much 
information  respecting  Love.  He  was  born  in,  or  near 
Boston,  and  served  his  apprenticeship  in  that  town.  I 
have  seen  nothing  of  his  printing  ;  but  he  was  known  in 
Boston  as  a  printer ;  indeed,  I  recollect,  myself,  that,  when 
a  lad,  I  heard  mention  made  of  him ;  but  I  cannot  ascer 
tain  that  he  was  at  any  time  actively  engaged  in  the  print 
ing  business. 

In  The  Boston  Evening  Post  of  May  14th,  1770,  under  the 
Boston  head,  is  the  following  parapraph,  viz. :  "  We  hear 
from  ^"ew  Providence,  that  on  the  23d  of  January  last, 
died  there  after  a  few  days  illness  of  a  Bilious  Cholic, 
Ebenezer  Love,  Esq.,  formerly  of  this  town,  Printer.  For 
a  number  of  years  past  he  had  resided  at  that  Island,  and 
carried  on  Merchandize ;  was  well  esteemed  by  the  Gen 
tlemen  there,  and  elected  a  member  of  their  House  of 
Assembly." 


MASSACHUSETTS.  129 

DANIEL  FOWLE  was  born  in  Charlestown,  near  Boston, 
and  served  his  apprenticeship  with  Samuel  Kneeland.  He 
began  printing,  on  his  own  account,  in  1740,  "  north  side 
of  King  street,  opposite  the  town  house."  In  1742,  he, 
and  Gamaliel  Rogers,  formed  a  partnership  in  business, 
under  the  firm  of  Rogers  &  Fowle.1  A  brother  of  Fowle, 
named  John,  was  a  silent  partner  in  this  firm.  They 
opened  a  printing  house  in  Prison  lane,  the  house  next  but 
one  to  the  old  stone  jail,  where  the  court  house  now  (in 
1815)  stands.  In  the  account  given  of  Rogers,  I  have  men 
tioned  the  works  done  by  this  company  ;  and,  particularly, 
the  ~New  Testament,  the  American  Magazine,  and  the 

'  O  i 

newspaper,  entitled  The  Independent  Advertiser.  In  taking 
notice  of  Fowle,  therefore,  I  shall  begin  with  the  period 
at  which  the  partnership  was  dissolved,  that  is,  in  1750. 
Soon  after  that  event,  Fowle  opened  a  printing  house  on 
the  south  side  of  Anne  street,  not  far  from  the  Flat  con 
duit,  so  called,  which  at  that  time  stood  in  Union  street. 
At  the  same  place  he  also  opened  a  shop,  and  kept  a  small 
collection  of  books  for  sale.  Here  he  printed  a  number  of 
works,  chiefly  pamphlets,  most  of  which  were  for  his  own 
sales. 

In  October,  1754,  Fowle,  while  at  dinner,  was  arrested, 
by  virtue  of  an  order  of  the  house  of  representatives, 
signed  by  Thomas  Hubbard,  their,  speaker,  and  taken 
before  that  house,  on  suspicion  of  having  printed  a  pamph 
let  which  reflected  upon  some  of  the  members.  It  was 
entitled,  The  Monster  of  Monsters,  by  Tom  Thumb,  Esq. 
After  an  hour's  confinement  in  the  lobby,  he  was  brought 
before  the  house.  The  speaker,  holding  a  copy  of  the 
pamphlet  in  his  hand,  asked  him,  "Do  you  know  any 
thing  of  the  printing  of  this  Book  ?  "  Fowle  requested  to 
see  it;  and  it  was  given  him.  After  examination,  he 


Sec  Rogers  and  Fowle. 
9 


130          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

said  that  it  was  not  of  his  printing  ;  and  that  he  had  not 
such  types  in  his  printing  house.  The  speaker  then  asked, 
"  Do  you  know  any  thing  relating  to  the  said  Book  ?  " 
Fowle  requested  the  decision  of  the  house,  whether  he 
was  hound  to  answer  the  question.  E"o  vote  was  taken, 
hut  a  few  members  answered,  "  Yes  !  "  He  then  ohserved, 
that  he  had  "  bought  some  copies,  and  had  sold  them  at 
his  shop."  This  observation  occasioned  the  following 
questions  and  answers,  viz  : 1 

Question.  [By  the  speaker.]  Who  did  you  buy  them 
of? 

Answer.  They  were,  I  believe,  sent  by  a  young  man, 
but  I  cannot  tell  his  name. 

Q.  Who  did  he  live  with  ? 

[Fowle  again  desired  the  decision  of  the  house,  whether 
he  was  obliged  to  give  the  required  information,  and  a 
number  of  individual  members  again  replied,  "Yes!" 
Upon  which  Fowle  answered] 

The  young  man,  I  believe,  lives  with  Royal  1  Tyler. 

Q.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  him  [Tyler] 
about  them  ? 

A.  I  believe  I  might,  in  the  same  manner  I  had  with 
many  others ;  not  that  I  thought  him  the  author.  It  was 
never  offered  me  to  print. 

Q.  Did  any  of  your  hands  assist  in  doing  it  ? 

A.  I  believe  my  negro  might,  as  he  sometimes  worked 
for  my  brother.2 


'Vide  Total  Eclipse  of  Liberty,  a  pamphlet  written  and  published  by  D. 
Fowle,  containing  a  full  account  of  this  arbitrary  procedure. 

2  This  negro  was  named  Primus.  He  was  an  African.  I  well  remem 
ber  him ;  he  worked  at  press  with  or  without  an  assistant ;  he  continued 
to  do  press  work  until  prevented  by  age.  He  went  to  Portsmouth  with 
his  master,  and  there  died,  being  more  than  ninety  years  of  age ;  about 
fifty  of  which  he  was  a  pressman.  There  is  now  [1815]  in  Philadelphia, 
a  negro  pressman  named  Andrew  Cain,  but  now  unable  to  do  hard  labor. 
lie  is  ninety-four  years  old.  It  is  said  that  he  has  been  a  good  workman. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  131 

Q.  Has  your  brother  any  help  ? 

A.  Ko. 

Q.  Did  you  see  any  of  it  whilst  printing  ? 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Whose  house  was  it  in  ? 

A.  I  think  it  was  my  brother's. 

Q.  Where  does  he  live  ? 

A.  Down  by  Cross  street. 

Q.  What  is  his  name  ? 

A.  Zechariah. 

One  of  the  members  then  said  to  Fowle,  You  do  not  know 
when  you  lie  !  Fowle  replied,  "  Begging  your  pardon,  sir, 
I  know  when  I  lie,  and  what  a  lie  is  as  well  as  yourself." 

After  this  examination,  Fowle  was  again  confined  for 
several  hours  in  the  lobby ;  and  from  thence,  about  ten 
o'clock  at  night,  was,  by  order  of  the  house,  taken  to  the 
"  common  gaol,"  and  there  closely  confined  "  among  thieves 
and  murderers."  l  He  was  denied  the  sight  of  his  wife, 
although  she,  with  tears,  petitioned  to  see  him ;  no  friend 
was  permitted  to  speak  to  him ;  and  he  was  debarred  the 
use  of  pen,  ink  and  paper. 

Eoyall  Tyler,  Esq.,  was  arrested,  and  carried  before  the 
house.  When  interrogated,  he  claimed  the  right  of  silence, 
"  Nemo  tenetur  seipsum  accusare"  was  the  only  answer  he 
made.  He  was  committed  for  contempt;  but  was  soon 
released,  on  a  promise  that  he  would  be  forthcoming 
when  required. 

The  house  ordered  their  messenger  to  take  Fowle's  bro 
ther  Zechariah  into  custody,  with  some  others ;  but  his 
physician  gave  a  certificate  of  his  indisposition,  and  by 
this  means  he  escaped  imprisonment. 


1  Fowle  was  confined  in  the  same  room  with  a  thief  and  a  notorious 
cheat ;  and,  in  the  next  cell,  was  one  "Wyer,  then  under  sentence  of  death 
for  murder,  and  was  soon  after  executed.  [Vide  Fowlds  Total  Eclipse  of 
Liberty.} 


132  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

After  two  clays  close  confinement,  Fowle  was  taken 
to  the  keeper's  house,  and  told  that  "  He  might  go  !  "  but 
he  refused ;  observing,  that  as  he  was  confined  at  midnight 
uncondemned  by  the  law,  he  desired  that  the  authority 
which  confined,  should  liberate  him,  and  not  thrust  him  out 
primly.  He  remained  with  the  jailer  three  days  longer ; 
when  learning  from  a  respectable  physician,  that  his  wife 
was  seriously  indisposed,  that  her  life  was  endangered  by 
her  anxiety  on  account  of  his  confinement,  and  his  friends 
joining  their  persuasion  to  this  call  upon  his  tenderness, 
Fowle  was  induced  to  ask  for  his  liberation.  He  was  accord 
ingly  dismissed;  and  here  the  prosecution  ended.  He 
endeavored  to  obtain  some  satisfaction  for  the  deprivation 
of  his  liberty,  but  he  did  not  succeed  in  the  attempt. 

Disgusted  with  the  government  of  Massachusetts  by  this 
treatment,  and  being  invited  by  a  number  of  respectable 
gentlemen  in  New  Hampshire  to  remove  into  that  colony, 
he  accepted  their  invitation  ;  and,  at  the  close  of  the  follow 
ing  year,  established  his  press  at  Portsmouth.  He  was 
the  first  printer  who  settled  in  that  province ;  and,  in  1756, 
he  began  the  publication  of  The  New  Hampshire  Gazette.1 

Fowle  was,  I  believe,  the  third  person  whom  the 
legislature  of  Massachusetts  imprisoned  for  printing  what 
was  deemed  a  libel  on  that  body,  or  on  some  of  its  mem 
bers,  or  for  publishing  heretical  opinions,  &c. 

Living  in  the  family  of  Daniel  Fowle's  brother,  I  early 
became  minutely  acquainted  with  the  wrhole  transaction, 
and  deep  impressions  were  then  made  upon  my  mind  in 
favor  of  the  liberty  of  the  press.  For  this  liberty  I  am  now 
an  advocate,  but  I  still,  as  I  ever  did,  hold  the  opinion, 
that  a  line  should  be  drawn  between  the  liberty  and  the 
-  licentiousness  of  the  press.  [Sec  New  Hampshire.'] 


1  This  paper  is  still  printed,  and  is  the  oldest  paper  extant  in  the  United 
States.— M. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  133 

ZECIIARIAII  FOWLE.  He  was  born  at  Charlestown,  near 
Boston,  of  very  respectable  parents,  and  served  his  appren 
ticeship  with  his  brother  Daniel,  who  was  at  that  period 
in  partnership  with  Gamaliel  Rogers.  The  first  book 
which  bears  the  name  of  Z.  Fowle  as  printer,  was^begun 
by  Rogers  and  Fowle,  viz.,  Pomfret's  Poems,  on  a  new 
small  pica.  On  the  dissolution  of  that  firm,  they  assigned 
this  book  over  to  Z.  Fowle,  who  completed  it,  and  sold 
the  greater  part  of  the  copies,  in  sheets,  to  booksellers. 
He  soon  after  opened  a  printing  house,  and  a  small  shop, 
in  Middle  street,  near  Cross  street,  where  he  printed  and 
sold  ballads  and  small  pamphlets. 

Not  being  much  known  as  a  printer,  and  living  in  a 
street  where  but  little  business  was  transacted,  he  was 
selected  by  a  number  of  gentlemen,  who  were  in  opposi 
tion  to  the  measures  of  the  general  court,  and  particularly 
to  an  excise  act,  to  print  a  pamphlet  entitled,  The  Monster 
of  Monsters,  satirizing  this  act,  and  bearing  with  some 
severity  upon  individual  members  of  the  court.  Daniel 
was  prevailed  upon  to  assist  his  brother  in  carrying  this 
work  through  the  press.  Joseph  Russell,  his  apprentice, 
then  nearly  of  age,  worked  at  the  case,  and  a  negro  man 
at  the  press.  The  pamphlet  was  small,  and  appeared  with 
out  the  name  of  the  printer.  It  was  the  custom  of  that 
day  to  hawk  about  the  streets  every  new  publication. 
Select  hawkers  were  engaged  to  sell  this  work ;  and  were 
directed  what  answers  to  give  to  enquiries  into  its  origin, 
who  printed  it,  &c.  The  general  court  was  at  the  time  in 
session.  The  hawkers  appeared  on  the  Exchange  with 
the  pamphlet,  bawling  out,  "  The  Monster  of  Monsters  !  " 
Curiosity  was  roused,  and  the  book  sold.  The  purchasers 
inquired  of  the  hawkers,  where  the  Monster  came  from  ? 
all  the  reply  was,  "  It  dropped  from  the  moon  !  "  Several 
members  of  the  general  court  bought  the  pamphlet.  Its 
contents  soon  excited  the  attention  of  the  house.  Daniel 


134          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Fowle,  who  was  suspected  to  be  the  printer,  was  brought 
before  the  house  of  representatives  and  examined,  as  has 
been  observed.1  Z.  Fowle  was  then  ordered  into  custody, 
and  Russell  who  assisted  him.  Russell  was  brought  before 

o 

the  house,  examined  and  released.  Z.  Fowle  hearing 
that  his  brother  and  Russell  were  arrested,  and  that  the 
officer  was  in  search  of  him,  was"  instantly  seized  with  a 
violent  fit  of  the  cholic.  His  illness  was  not  feigned  ;  he 
possessed  a  slender  constitution,  was  often  subject  to  this 
complaint ;  and,  at  this  time,  it  was  brought  on  by  the  fear 
of  an  arrest.  When  the  officer  appeared,  the  attending 
physician  certified  that  he  was  dangerously  ill.  With  this 
certificate  the  officer  departed,  and  Fowle  escaped  punish 
ment,  the  punishment  which  his  brother  unjustly  expe 
rienced. 

When  Daniel  Fowle  removed  to  Portsmouth,  Zechariah 
took  the  printing  house  which  he  had  occupied,  in  Anne 
street.  Until  the  year  1757,  Z.  Fowle  printed  little  else  than 
ballads ;  he  then  began  an  edition  of  the  Psalter  for  the  book 
sellers.  In  this  work  he  was  aided  by  two  young  printers 
just  freed  from  their  indentures,  and  to  whom  Fowle 
allowed  a  proportionate  part  of  the  profits  of  the  impression. 
One  of  these,  Samuel  Draper,  a  very  worthy  young  man, 
became  a  partner  with  Fowle  after  the  Psalter  was  printed. 
The  firm  was  FOWLE  &  DRAPER.  They  took  a  house  in 
Marlborough  street,  opposite  the  Founder's  Arms ;  here 
they  printed,  and  opened  a  shop.  They  kept  a  great  sup 
ply  of  ballads,  and  small  pamphlets  for  book  pedlers,  of 
whom  there  were  many  at  that  time.  They  printed  seve 
ral  works  of  higher  consequence,  viz. :  an  edition  consist 
ing  of  twenty  thousand  copies  of  The  Youth's  Instructor  in 
the  English  Tongue,  commonly  called  the  New  England 
Spelling  Book.  This  school  book  was  in  great  repute,  and 


Vide  Daniel  Fowle. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  135 

in  general  use  for  many  years.  Janeway's  Heaven  upon 
Earth,  octavo,  Watts1  s  Psalms,  and  several  smaller  duode 
cimo  volumes,  all  for  the  trade.  They  printed,  also,  many 
pamphlets  of  various  sizes  on  their  own  account ;  and  had 
full  employment  for  themselves  and  two  lads.  Draper  was 
a  diligent  man,  and  gave  unremitted  attendance  in  the 
printing  house.  Fowle  was  bred  to  the  business,  but  he 
was  an  indifferent  hand  at  the  press,  and  much  worse  at 
the  ca*se.  He  was  never  in  the  printing  house  when  he 
could  find  a  pretence  for  being  absent. 

After  the  death  of  John  Draper,  Eichard,  his  son,  took 
his  kinsman  Samuel  as  a  partner,  and  Fowle  again  printed 
by  himself.  The  business  in  his  printing  house  was  then 
principally  managed  by  a  young  lad,  his  only  apprentice. 
Soon  after  he  separated  from  Draper,  he  removed  to  Back 
street,  where  he  continued  printing  and  vending  ballads 
and  small  books  until  1770  ;  at  which  time  Isaiah  Thomas 
became  his  partner.  This  connection  was  dissolved  in 
less  than  three  months,  and  Thomas  purchased  his  press 
and  types. 

Fowle  having  on  hand  a  considerable  stock  of  the  small 
articles  he  usually  sold,  continued  his  shop  till  1775. 
Boston  being  then  a  garrison  town  in  the  possession  of 
the  British  troops,  he  obtained  a  permit  to  leave  it,  and 
removed  to  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire.  While  in  this 
place  he  resided  with  his  brother,  and  died  in  his  house  in 
1776. 

Fowle  was  a  singular  man,  very  irritable  and  effeminate, 
and  better  skilled  in  the  domestic  work  of  females,  than 
in  the  business  of  a  printing  house.  His  first  wife  dying  in 
1759,  he  married  a  second  ;  but  had  no  children  by  either. 
Fowle  could  not  be  called  an  industrious  man ;  yet,  in 
justice  to  his  character,  it  ought  to  be  mentioned,  that  he 
did  business  enough  to  give  himself  and  family  a  decent 
maintenance.  Although  he  did  not  acquire  property,  he 


136          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

took  care  not  to  be  involved  in  debt.     He  was  honest  in 
his  dealings,  and  punctual  to  his  engagements. 

BENJAMIN  EDES  was  born  in  Charlestown,  Oct.  14,  1732. 
He  began  business  with  John  Gill,  in  the  year  1755,  under 
the  firm  of  EDES  &  GILL.  They  continued  in  partnership 
until  the  commencement  of  the  revolutionary  war.  Their 
printing  house,  for  a  time,  was  in  King  street,  now  State 
street;  they  afterward  occupied  the  printing  house  for 
merly  kept  by  Rogers  and  Fowle,  then  the  second  house 
west  of  the  Court  House  in  Court  street.  After  the 
death  of  Samuel  Kneeland,  they  removed  to  the  printing 
house  which  he,  for  about  forty  years,  occupied,  and  there 
they  remained  until  hostilities  commenced  between  the 
parent  state  and  the  colonies. 

Two  newspapers  had  been  published,  entitled  The  Boston 
Gazette,  and  were,  in  succession,  discontinued.  Edes  and 
Gill  began  a  new  paper  under  the  title  of  The  Boston  Gazette, 
and  Country  Journal,  which  soon  gained  an  establishment, 
and  became  distinguished  for  the  spirited  political  essays 
which  appeared  in  it.  They  published  many  political 
pamphlets,  and  for  a  number  of  years  were  appointed 
printers  to  the  general  court.  They  did  some  business 
for  booksellers.  A  small  number  of  octavo  and  duode 
cimo  volumes  were  occasionally  issued  from  their  press ; 
but  their  principal  business  consisted  in  the  publication  or 
the  Gazette.  When  the  dispute  between  Great  Britain  and 
her  colonies  assumed  a  serious  aspect,  this  paper  arrested 
the  public  attention,  from  the  part  its  able  writers  took  in 
the  cause  of  liberty  and  their  country ;  and  it  gained  a 
very  extensive  circulation.  Edes  was  a  warm  and  a  firm 
patriot,  and  Gill  was  an  honest  whig.1 


1  In  September,  1775,  Gill  underwent  an  imprisonment  by  the  British, 
of  twenty-nine  clays,  for  printing  treason,  sedition  and  rebellion. —  IV 
Force's  American  Archives,  in,  712. —  AT. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  137 

Soon  after  the  revolutionary  war  began,  the  British 
troops  closed  the  avenues  between  Boston  and  the  country ; 
but  Edes  fortunately  made  his  escape  by  night,  in  a  boat, 
with  a  press  and  a  few  types. 

lie  opened  a  printing  house  in  Watertown,  where  he 
continued  the  Gazette,  and  printed  for  the  provincial  con 
gress  of  Massachusetts.  Here  he  found  full  employment, 
and  his  zeal  in  the  cause  of  his  country  animated  him  to 
redoubled  diligence. 

The  printing  he  executed  at  Watertown,  did  not,  indeed, 
do  much  credit  to  the  art;  but  the  work,  at  this  time, 
done  at  other  presses,  was  not  greatly  superior.  The  war 
broke  out  suddenly,  and  few  of  any  profession  were  pre 
pared  for  the  event.  All  kinds  of  printing  materials 
had  usually  been  imported  from  England;  even  ink  for 
printers  had  not,  in  any  great  quantity,  been  made  in 
America.  This  resource  was,  by  the  war,  cut  off;  and  a 
great  scarcity  of  these  articles  soon  ensued.  At  that  time, 
there  were  but  three  small  paper  mills  in  Massachusetts  ; 
in  New  Hampshire  there  were  none ;  and  Rhode  Island 
contained  only  one,  which  was  out  of  repair.  The  paper 
which  these  mills  could  make  fell  far  short  of  the  neces 
sary  supply.  Paper,  of  course,  was  extremely  scarce,  and 
what  could  be  procured  was  badly  manufactured,  not  hav 
ing  more  than  half  the  requisite  labor  bestowed  upon  it. 
It  was  often  taken  from  the  mill  wet,  and  unsized.  People 
had  not  been  in  the  habit  of  saving  rags,  and  stock  for  the 
manufacture  of  paper  was  obtained  with  great  difficulty. 
Every  thing  like  rags  was  ground  up  together  to  make  a 
substitute  for  paper.  This,  with  wretched  ink,  and  worn 
out  types,  produced  miserable  printing. 

In  1776,  Edes  returned  to  Boston,  on  the  evacuation  of 
the  town  by  the  British  army.     Gill  had  remained  recluse 
in  Boston  during  the  siege.     They  now  dissolved  their 
10 


138  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

connection,  and  divided  their  printing  materials.  Edes 
continued  to  print  for  the  state  several  years.  In  1779,  he 
took  his  two  sons  Benjamin  and  Peter  into  partnership; 
their  firm  was  BENJAMIN  EDES  &  SONS.  About  three  years 
after  this  event  Peter  began  business  for  himself  in  Bos 
ton,  but  was  not  successful.  Benjamin  continued  with 
his  father  some  time  longer,  and  then  set  up  a  press  and 
printed  a  newspaper  in  Haverhill,  Massachusetts  ;  but  he 
was  not  more  fortunate  than  his  brother.  The  father  con 
tinued  the  business  alone,  and  labored  along  with  The  Bos 
ton  Gazette.  This  paper  had  had  its  day,  and  it  now 
languished  for  want  of  that  support  it  derived  from  the 
splendid  talents  of  its  former  writers,  some  of  whom  were 
dead,  some  were  gone  abroad,  and  others  were  employed 
in  aifairs  of  state.  It  was  further  depressed  and  paralyzed 
by  the  establishment  of  other  newspapers,  and  by  the 
exertions  of  another  class  of  writers,  who  enlivened  the 
columns  of  the  new  journals  with  their  literary  productions. 

Edes  was  a  man  of  great  industry.  At  the  beginning 
of  the  revolutionary  war  he  had  accumulated  a  very  decent 
property,  which  was  not  lessened  when  he  returned  to 
Boston,  in  1776.  At  that  time  he  took  a  good  house  in 
Cornhill,  part  of  which  formed  the  alley  leading  to  Brattle 
street;  it  was  next  to  that  formerly  owned  by  John  Dra 
per  ;  but,  some  years  before  his  death,  he  moved  into  a 
house  which  he  then  owned  in  Temple  street,  and  hired 
a  chamber  over  the  shop  of  a  tin  plate  worker  in  Kilby 
street,  where  he  erected  his  press. 

The  rapid  depreciation  of  paper  money  proved  fatal  to 
the  property  of  Edes,  as  well  as  to  that  of  many  others. 
He  had  a  large  family  to  support;  and  he  continued  to 
work,  as  had  been  his  custom,  at  case  and  press,  until  the 
infirmities  of  age  compelled  him  to  cease  from  labor.  In 
the  advanced  period  of  his  life  competence  and  ease  for 
sook  him,  and  he  was  oppressed  by  poverty  and  sickness. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  139 

His  important  services  were  too  soon  forgotten  by  his 
prosperous,  independent  countrymen. 

He  died  December  11,  1803,  at  the  age  of  seventy-one 
years.  His  second  son,  Peter  Edes,  printed  at  Augusta, 
in  the  district  of  Maine.1 

Edes  began  the  Boston  Gazette  and  Country  Journal,  and 
with  him  it  ended.  No  publisher  of  a  newspaper  felt  a 
greater  interest  in  the  establishment  of  the  independence 
of  the  United  States  than  Benjamin  Edes ;  and  no  news 
paper  was  more  instrumental  in  bringing  forward  this 
important  event  than  The  Boston  Gazette.  [See  Newspapers^] 

JOHN  GILL,  the  partner  of  Benjamin  Edes,  and  the 
junior  publisher  of  The  Boston  Gazette  and  Country  Journal, 
was  born  in  Charlestown,  Massachusetts.  lie  served  his 
apprenticeship  with  Samuel  Kneeland,  and  married  one  of 
his  daughters.  Gill  was  a  sound  whig,  but  did  not  possess 
the  political  energy  of  his  partner.  He  was  industrious, 
constantly  in  the  printing  house,  and  there  worked  at 
case  or  press  as  occasion  required.  His  partnership  with 
Edes  continued  for  twenty  years.  They  separated  at  the 
commencement  of  hostilities  by  the  British,  in  1775.  Gill 
remained  in  Boston  during  the  siege ;  he  did  no  business, 
and  thought  it  prudent  to  confine  himself  to  his  own 
house.  He  had,  fortunately,  acquired  a  competency  for 
the  support  of  his  family  under  that  trial. 

After  the  evacuation  of  Boston,  his  connection  with 
Edes  ended.  They  divided  their  stock,  and  settled  their 
concerns.  While  Edes  continued  the  publication  of  the 
Gazette,  Gill  issued  another  paper,  entitled  The  Continental 


1  In  Sept.,  1775,  Peter  Edes  was  a  prisoner  of  the  British  in  Boston,  under 
a  sentence  of  seventy-five  days,  for  having  fire-arms  concealed  in  his 
house.—  IV  Force's  Archives,  in,  712.  See  also  Historical  Magazine,  vn, 
219,  220,  2d  series.  He  was  one  of  the  Boston  tea  party,  so  called. 
He  died  at  Bangor,  Me.,  March  30,  1840.  Benjamin  Edes,  Jr.  died  at 
Boston,  May  15, 1801,  aged  46.—  M. 


140          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Journal.  Having  published  this  paper  several  years,  he 
sold  the  right  of  it,  in  1785,  with  his  printing  materials,  to 
James  D.  Griffith. 

Gill  was  brother  to  the  Hon.  Moses  Gill,  who,  subse 
quently  to  the  revolution,  was  for  several  years  lieutenant- 
governor  of  the  commonwealth  of  Massachusetts.  He 
died  August  25,  1785,  and  left  several  children.  The  Con 
tinental  Journal,  which  announced  to  the  public  the  death 
of  Gill,  contains  the  following  observations  respecting 
him,  viz. : 

"  Oapt.  John  Gill,  for  disseminating  principles'  destruc 
tive  of  tyranny,  suffered  during  the  siege  of  this  town  in 
1775,  what  many  other  printers  were  threatened  with,  a 
cruel  imprisonment.  He,  however,  was  so  fortunate  as  to 
survive  the  conflict ;  but  had  the  mortification,  lately,  of 
seeing  the  press  ready  to  be  shackled  by  a  stamp  act 
fabricated  in  his  native  state ;  he,  therefore,  resigned  his 
business,  not  choosing  to  submit  to  a  measure  which 
Britain  artfully  adopted  as  the  foundation  of  her  intended 
tyranny  in  America.  His  remains  were  very  respectfully 
entombed  last  Monday  afternoon."  [See  Edcs. —  Boston 
Gazette.'} 

JOHN  GREEN  was  the  son  of  Bartholomew  Green,  Jr., 
who  died  at  Halifax,  and  the  great  grandson  of  Samuel 
Green  of  Cambridge.  He  was  born  in  Boston,  served  an 
apprenticeship  with  John  Draper,  whose  daughter  he 
married,  and  in  the  year  1755  began  business  with  Joseph 
Russell.  The  firm  was  GREEN  &  RUSSELL.  Their  press 
was  established  in  Tremont  street,  in  a  house  which  was 
taken  down  to  make  room  for  Scollay's  Buildings.  In 
August,  1757,  they  issued  from  their  press  a  newspaper, 
entitled  The  Boston  Weekly  Advertiser.  They  repeatedly 
altered  the  title  of  this  paper,  but  continued  its  publica 
tion  until  1773,  when  they  sold  their  right  in  it,  to  Mills 


MASSACHUSETTS.  141 

and  Hicks.1  In  1758  they  removed,  and  opened  a  printing 
house  in  Queen  street,  in  the  brick  building  which  made 
the  east  corner  of  Dorset's  alley,  and  nearly  opposite  to 
the  Court  House.  They  printed  for  some  time  the  jour 
nals  of  the  house  of  representatives,  and  the  laws  of  the 
government.  They  also  did  the  printing  of  the  custom 
house,  and  published  a  number  of  pamphlets  ;  but  they 
never  engaged  largely  in  book  work. 

A  few  years  after  this  partnership  was  formed,  Russell 
opened  an  auction  office,  the  profits  of  which  were  shared 
by  the  firm.  Green  managed  the  printing  house,  and 
Russell  the  auction  room.  They  continued  together  until 
1775,  and  by  their  attention  to  business  acquired  a  hand 
some  property. 

Green  remained  in  Boston  during  the  siege,  and  when 
the  British  troops  left  the  town  he  became  interested  in 
the  Independent  Chronicle,  then  published  by  Powars  and 
"Willis,  but  his  name  did  riot  appear.  He  "was  a  man  of 
steady  habits,  true  to  his  engagements,  and  well  respected. 
He  died  November,  1787,  aged  sixty  years.  He  had  no 
children.  He  was,  I  believe,  the  last  of  the  descendants 
of  Samuel  Green  of  Cambridge  who  printed  in  this  state. 

JOSEPH  RUSSELL  was  born  in  Boston,  served  an  appren 
ticeship  with  Daniel  Fowle,  and  in  1755,  entered  into  part 
nership  with  John  Green.2  Russell  was  a  good  workman 
in  the  printing  business ;  but  his  talents  were  more  par 
ticularly  adapted  to  the  duties  of  an  auctioneer.  When 
Green  and  Russell  united  auctioneering  with  printing, 
Russell  took  the  sole  management  of  the  vendue  room ; 
he  soon  arrived  at  celebrity  in  this  line,  and  had  more 
employment  in  it  than  any  other  person  in  Boston.  "When 


1  See  Newspapers. 

"  Russell  lived  with  David  Fowle,  at  the  time  Fowle  was  imprisoned, 
on  suspicion  of  printing'  The  Monster  of  Monsters.    Vid.  Zechariah  Fowle. 


142          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

his  partnership  with  Green  was  dissolved,  he  formed  a 
connection  with  Samuel  Clap ;  and  this  company,  under 
the  firm  of  Russell  &  Clap,  continued  the  business  of 
auctioneers  till  the  death  of  Russell. 

Russell  was  full  of  life,  very  facetious,  but  attentive  to 
his  concerns.  Few  men  had  more  friends,  or  were  more 
esteemed.  In  all  companies  he  rendered  himself  agree 
able.  He  acquired  considerable  property,  but  did  not 
hoard  up  his  wealth,  for  benevolence  was  one  of  his 
virtues.  He  was  a  worthy  citizen,  and  a  friend  to  his 
country.  He  died  at  the  end  of  Xovember,  1795,  aged 
sixty-one  years. 

BENJAMIN  MECOM  was  a  native  of  Boston.  His  mother 
was  sister  of  James  Franklin  and  of  the  celebrated 
Benjamin  Franklin.  Mecom  served  his  apprenticeship 
with  his  uncle  Benjamin  Franklin  at  Philadelphia.  When 
of  age,  having  received  some  assistance  from  his  uncle, 
he  went  to  Antigua,  and  there  printed  a  newspaper ;  but 
in  1756,  he  quitted  that  island,  and  returned  to  Boston. 
In  1757,  lie  opened  a  printing  house  in  Cornhill,  nearly 
opposite  to  the  old  brick  church.  At  the  same  place  he 
kept  a  shop  and  sold  books.  His  first  work  was  a  large 
edition,  thirty  thousand  copies,  of  The  Psalter,  for  the 
booksellers.  He  printed  these  on  terms  so  low,  that  his 
profits  did  not  amount  to  journeymen's  wages.  This 
edition  was  two  years  worrying  through  his  press.  After 
the  Psalter  Mecom  began  to  print  and  publish,  on  his  own 
account,  a  periodical  work,  which  he  intended  should 
appear  monthly.  It  was  entitled,  The  New  England  Maga 
zine  of  Knowledge  and  Pleasure.  It  contained  about  fifty 
pages  12mo,  but  he  published  only  three  or  four  numbers. 
These  were  issued  in  1758  ;  but  no  date  either  of  month 
or  year  appeared  in  the  title  page,  or  in  the  imprint.  In 
this  magazine  were  inserted  several  articles  under  the 


MASSACHUSETTS.  143 

head  of  Queer  Notions.  Each  number,  when  published, 
was  sent  about  town  for  sale  by  hawkers ;  but  few  copies 
were  vended,  and  the  work,  of  course,  was  discontinued. 

His  business  was  not  extensive ;  he  printed  several  pam 
phlets  for  his  own  sale,  and  a  few  for  that  of  others.  He 
remained  in  Boston  for  a  number  of  years;  but  when 
James  Parker  &  Co.,  who  printed  at  New  Haven,  removed 
to  New  York,  Mecom  succeeded  them.  Soon  afterwards 
Dr.  Franklin  procured  Mecom  the  office  of  postmaster  for 
New  Haven. 

He  married  in  New  Jersey,  before  he  set  up  his  press 
in  Boston.  He  possessed  good  printing  materials,  but 
there  was  something  singular  in  his  work,  as  well  as  in 
himself.  He  was  in  Boston  several  months  before  the 
arrival  of  his  press  and  types  from  Antigua,  and  had  much 
leisure.  During  this  interval  he  frequently  came  to  the 
house  where  I  was  an  apprentice.  He  was  handsomely 
dressed,  wore  a  powdered  bob  wig,  ruffles  and  gloves; 
gentlemanlike  appendages  which  the  printers  of  that  day 
did  not  assume,  and  thus  apparelled,  wTould  often  assist, 
for  an  hour,  at  the  press. 

An  edition  of  The  New  England  Primer  being  wanted  by 
the  booksellers,  Z.  Fowle  consulted  with  Mecom  on  the 
subject,  who  consented  to  assist  in  the  impression,  on  con 
dition  that  he  might  print  a  certain  number  for  himself. 
To  this  proposal  Fowle  consented,  and  made  his  contract 
with  the  booksellers.  Fowle  had  no  help  but  myself,  then 
a  lad  in  my  eighth  year.  The  impression  consisted  of  ten 
thousand  copies.  The  form  was  a  small  sixteens,  on 
foolscap  paper.  The  first  form  of  the  Primer  being  set 
up,  while  it  was  worked  at  the  press  I  was  put  to  case  to 
set  the  types  for  the  second.  Having  completed  this,  and 
set  up  the  whole  cast  of  types  employed  in  the  work,  and 
the  first  form  being  still  at  press  I  was  employed  as  a 
fly ;  that  is,  to  take  off  the  sheets  from  the  tympan  as  they 


144         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

were  printed,  and  pile  them  in  a  heap;  this  expedited  the 
work.  While  I  was  engaged  in  this  business,  I  viewed 
Mecom  at  the  press  with  admiration.  He  indeed  put  on 
an  apron  to  save  his  clothes  from  blacking,  and  guarded 
his  ruffles;  but  he  wrore  his  coat,  his  wig,  his  hat  and  his 
gloves,  whilst  working  at  press ;  and  at  case,  laid  aside 
his  apron.  When  he  published  his  magazine  with  Queer 
Notions,  this  singularity,  and  some  addenda,  known  to 
the  trade,  induced  them  to  give  him  the  appellation  of 
Queer  Notions.  Mecom  was,  however,  a  gentleman  in  his 
appearance  and  manners,  had  been  well  educated  to  his 
business,  and  if  queer,  was  honest  and  sensible,  and  called 
a  correct  and  good  printer.  [See  New  Haven,  Philadelphia, 
Antigua.] 

THOMAS  FLEET,  JR.,  &  JOHN  FLEET.  They  were  brothers, 
and  having  learned  from  their  father  the  art  of  printing, 
succeeded  him  in  business  at  his  house  in  Cornhill,  in 
1758.  I  mention  them  together,  because  they  commenced 
printing  in  partnership,  arid  continued  in  connection  until 
separated  by  death.  They  carried  on  the  publication  of 
The  Boston  Evening  Post  until  the  commencement  of  the 
revolutionary  war;  when  they  suspended  the  publication 
of  that  newspaper,  and  it  was  never  after  resumed.  The 
impartiality  with  which  the  paper  was  conducted,  in  those 
most  critical  times,  the  authenticity  of  its  news,  and  the 
judicious  selections  of  its  publishers,  gained  them  great 
and  deserved  reputation. 

Both  brothers  were  born  in  Boston.  Their  father  gave 
them  a  good  school  education  ;  they  were  correct  printers, 
very  attentive  to  their  concerns,  punctual  in  their  dealings, 
good  citizens,  and  much  respected.  They  printed  several 
works  in  octavo,  and  some  volumes  in  duodecimo,  on 
their  own  account ;  and  some  in  connection  with  other 
printers.  Their  shop  was  always  supplied  with  smaller 


MASSACHUSETTS.  145 

articles  for  the  benefit  of  their  sisters,  who  were  never 
married. 

They  remained  in  Boston  during  the  siege ;  and,  after 
ward,  revived  the  publication  of  the  Massachusetts  Register, 
which  originated  with  Mein  and  Fleming  some  years 
before,  and  had  been  continued  by  Mills  and  Hicks. 
Thomas  died  a  bachelor,  March  2,  1797,  aged  sixty-five 
years.  John  was  married;  he  died  March  18,  1806,  aged 
seventy-one,  and  left  several  children ;  one  of  whom,  by  the 
name  of  Thomas,  was  a  printer  in  Boston  at  the  same  house 
in  which  his  grandfather  began  the  The  Boston  Evening  Post.1 

RICHARD  DRAPER.  He  was  the  son  of  John  Draper,  the 
successor  of  Bartholomew  Green,  proprietor  and  printer 
of  The  Boston  News  Letter.  He  was  brought  up  a  printer 
by  his  father,  continued  with  him  after  he  became  of  age, 
and,  for  some  years  before  his  father's  death,  was  a  silent 
partner  with  him.  On  the  death  of  his  father,  Eichard 
continued  the  News  Letter.  He  was  early  appointed  to 
the  office  of  printer  to  the  governor  and  council,  which  he 
retained  during  life.  His  paper  was  devoted  to  the  go- 


1  Ann  Fleet,  the  daughter  of  John,  and  the  last  of  the  name,  died  in 
Boston,  July,  1860,  aged  89.  The  estate  of  Thomas  Fleet  Sen.,  at  the 
northerly  corner  of  Washington  and  Water  streets,  which  he  purchased 
in  1744,  and  from  which  the  Evening  Post  was  issued  for  upwards  of 
thirty  years,  still  remained  in  the  hands  of  his  descendants  in  1860, 
although  they  had  discontinued  the  business  of  printing  in  1808. —  Boston 
Transcript.  Thomas  Fleet  Sen.  was  the  putative  compiler  of  Mother 
Goose's  Melodies,  which  he  first  published  in  1719.  Among  the  entries 
of  marriages  in  the  City  Registry,  under  date  of  June  8,  1715,  is  that 
of  Thomas  Fleet  to  Elizabeth  Goose,  and  the  idea  of  the  collection  is 
said  to  have  arisen  from  hearing  his  mother-in-law  repeat  nursery 
rhymes  to  his  children.  It  was  characteristic  of  the  man  to  make  such  a 
collection  ;  and  the  first  book  of  the  kind  known  to  have  been  printed 
in  this  country  bears  his  imprint,  and  the  title  of  Songs  for  the  Nursery, 
or  Mother  Goose's  Melodies  for  Children.  The  name  of  Goose  is  now 
extinct  in  Boston,  but  monuments  remaining  in  the  Granary  burial 
ground  in  that  city  mark  the  family  resting  place. —  M. 
11 


146  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

vernment ;  and,  in  the  controversy  between  Great  Britain 
and  the  American  colonies,  strongly  supported  the  royal 
cause.  He  added  the  title  of  The  Massachusetts  Gazette,  to 
The  Boston  News  Letter,  and  decorated  it  with  the  king's 
arms.1  Many  able  advocates  for  the  government  filled  the 
columns  of  the  News  Letter,  but  the  opposition  papers 
were  supported  by  writers  at  least  equally  powerful,  and 
more  numerous. 

The  constitution  of  Richard  Draper  was  very  feeble,  and 
he  was  often  confined  by  sickness.  Soon  after  his  father's 
death,  he  took  his  kinsman,  Samuel  Draper,  who  was 
connected  with  Z.  Fowle,  into  partnership,  under  the  firm 
of  R.  &  S.  DRAPER.  Samuel  was  not  permitted  to  share 
in  the  honor  of  printing  for  the  governor  and  council. 
In  all  the  work  done  for  them,  Richard's  name  alone 
appeared  as  printer.  Samuel  Draper  died  a  few  years 
after  this  connection  was  formed. 

Richard  Draper,  having  been  successful  in  his  business, 
erected  a  handsome  brick  house,  on  a  convenient  spot  in 
front  of  the  old  printing  house  in  Newbury  street,  in  which 
he  resided.  He  was  attentive  to  his  affairs,  and  was 
esteemed  the  best  compiler  of  news  of  his  day.  He  died 
June  6,  1774,  aged  forty-seven  years.  He  left  no  children, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  widow. 

Draper,  alone,  did  very  little  book  printing ;  but  he  was 
concerned  with  Edes  &  Gill,  and  the  Fleets,  in  publishing 
several  volumes  of  sermons,  etc.  One  month  preceding 
his  death,  he  commenced  a  limited  copartnership  with 
John  Boyle.  Boyle's  name  appeared  in  the  Gazette  with 
Draper's,  whose  ill  health  rendering  him  unable  to  attend 
closely  to  business,  Boyle  undertook  the  chief  care  and 


1  It  was  customary,  many  years  before  the  revolution,  among  pub 
lishers  of  newspapers,  especially  those  whose  titles  embraced  the  word 
Gazette,  to  ornament  the  titles  with  this  ensign  of  royalty.  But  the 
printers  in  Boston  had  not  followed  the  fashion. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  147 

management  of  it.  The  following  sketch  of  the  character 
of  Richard  Draper  is  taken  from  the  Evening  Post  of  June 
13,  1774. 

"  He  was  a  man  remarkable  for  the  amiable  delicacy  of 
his  mind,  and  gentleness  of  his  manners.  A  habit  en 
feebled  and  emaciated  by  remorseless  disease,  and  unre- 
mitted  distress,  could  never  banish  the  smile  from  his 
countenance.  A  well  founded  confidence  in  the  mercies 
of  his  God,  and  the  happy  consciousness  of  a  life  well 
spent,  smoothed  the  pillow  of  anguish,  and  irradiated  the 
gloom  of  death  with  the  promise  of  succeeding  joy;  in 
every  relation  he  sustained  in  life,  his  endearing  manners 
and  inflexible  integrity  rendered  him  truly  exemplary." 

SAMUEL  DKAPER  was  the  nephew  and  apprentice  of  John 
Draper.  He  was  born  at  Martha's  Vineyard.  In  1758, 
soon  after  he  became  of  age,  he  went  into  trade  with 
Zechariah  Fowle,  who  stood  in  much  need  of  a  partner 
like  Draper.  Their  connection  was  mutually  advantage 
ous.  Fowle  had  been  in  business  seven  years ;  but  had 
made  no  progress  in  the  advancement  of  his  fortune. 
Draper  was  more  enterprising,  but  had  no  capital  to  esta 
blish  himself  as  a  printer.  He  was  a  young  man  of  cor 
rect  habits  and  handsome  abilities.  He  was  industrious, 
and,  for  those  times,  a  good  workman.  Draper  was  an 
important  acquisition  to  his  partner,  although  Fowle  did 
not  appear  to  be  highly  sensible  of  it.  The  connection 
continued  five  years ;  during  which  time  they  printed,  as 
has  been  remarked,  three  or  four  volumes  of  some  magni 
tude,  a  large  edition  of  the  Youth's  Instructor  in  the  English 
Tongue,  another  of  the  Psalter ;  also,  a  variety  of  pamphlets, 
chapmen's  small  books,  and  ballads.  They  so  far  suc 
ceeded  in  trade  as  to  keep  free  of  debt,  to  obtain  a  good 
livelihood,  and  increase  their  stock.  Their  printing  house 
was  in  Marlborough  street;  it  was  taken  down  in 


148          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

later  years,  and  a  new  house  built  on  its  site,  at  the 
south  corner  of  Franklin  street,  at  the  entrance  from  Marl- 
borough  street. 

The  articles  of  copartnership  contemplated  a  continu 
ance  of  the  connection  of  Fowle  and  Draper  for  seven 
years ;  but,  on  the  death  of  John  Draper,  Richard,  his 
son,  succeeded  to  his  business.  Richard  was  often  con 
fined  to  his  house  by  ill  health,  and  wanted  an  assistant ; 
he  therefore  made  liberal  proposals  to  Samuel,  which 
were  accepted ;  and  they  entered  into  partnership.  In 
pursuance  of  this  new  arrangement,  the  connection  between 
Fowle  and  Draper  was  dissolved ;  and  Draper  recom 
menced  business  with  a  more  active  and  enterprising  part 
ner.  S.  Draper  continued  with  his  kinsman  until  his 
death,  which  happened  March  15,  1767,  at  the  age  of 
thirty  years.  While  he  was  in  partnership  with  Fowle,  he 
married  an  agreeable  young  lady,  of  a  respectable  family, 
by  whom  he  had  two  daughters.  His  widow  died  in  1812. 
He  had  two  brothers  who  were  printers,  the  eldest  of 
whom,  named  Richard,  died  before  1810  ;  the  other  whose 
name  was  Edward,  with  a  partner,  published,  for  some 
time  during  the  war,  a  newspaper  in  Boston. 

DANIEL  KNEELAND  was  the  son  of  Samuel  Kneeland,  and 
served  his  apprenticeship  with  his  father.  He  began  trade 
as  a  bookbinder,  in  plain  work,  having  been  bred  to  bind 
ing  as  well  as  printing.  A  dispute  had  arisen  between 
the  printers  and  booksellers  respecting  Ames's  Almanack, 
the  particulars  of  which  I  do  not  fully  recollect ;  but,  in 
substance,  it  was  as  follows.  John  Draper,  and  his  prede 
cessor  Bartholomew  Green,  had  always  purchased  the 
copy  of  that  Almanac,  and  printed  it  on  their  own 
account ;  but  they  had  supplied  the  booksellers,  in  sheets, 
by  the  hundred,  the  thousand,  or  any  quantity  wanted. 
About  the  year  1759,  this  Almanac  was  enlarged  from 


MASSACHUSETTS.  149 

sixteen  pages  on  a  foolscap  sheet  to  three  half  sheets. 
Draper  formed  a  connection  with  Green  &  Russel  and  T. 
&  J.  Fleet,  in  its  publication.  A  half  sheet  was  printed  at 
each  of  their  printing  houses ;  and  they  were  not  disposed 
to  supply  booksellers  as  formerly.  The  booksellers,  imme 
diately  on  the  publication  of  the  Almanack,  had  it  reprinted ; 
and  soon  after  a  number  of  the  principal  of  them  set  up  a 
printing  house  for  themselves  and  engaged  Daniel 
Kneeland,  and  John  his  brother,  to  conduct  it  for  them, 
under  the  firm  of  D.  &  J.  KNEELAND.  The  Kneelands  con 
tinued  to  piint  for  these  booksellers  several  years,  in  part 
of  the  building  occupied  by  their  father  as  a  printing 
house ;  after  which  some  difficulty  arising,  the  booksellers 
put  a  stop  to  their  press,  and  divided  among  them  the 
printing  materials.  Daniel  Kneeland  then  dissolved  his 
connection  with  his  brother  John  ;  and,  being  furnished 
with  the  press,  and  a  part  of  the  types,  which  had  been 
owned  by  the  booksellers,  he  engaged  in  printing  on  his 
own  account,  but  worked  chiefly  for  the  trade. 

About  the  year  1772,  Daniel  took,  as  a  partner,  a  young 
man  by  the  name  of  Nathaniel  Davis.  The  firm  was 
Kneeland  &  Davis.  This  company  was,  in  the  course  of 
two  or  three  years,  dissolved  by  the  death  of  Davis. 

Kneeland's  business  before  the  revolutionary  war  was 
inconsiderable,  and  it  afterward  became  still  more  con 
tracted.  He  died  in  May,  1789,  aged  sixty-eight  years. 

i 

JOHN  KNEELAND  was  another  son  of  Samuel  Kneeland, 
and  he  was  taught  the  art  by  his  father.  He  began  print 
ing,  in  connection  with  his  brother  Daniel,  for  the  book 
sellers  ;  for  whom  they  worked  during  their  partnership, 
as  has  been  related.  When  the  connection  between  the 
brothers  was  dissolved,  John  entered  into  partnership 
with  Seth  Adams,  under  the  firm  of  Kneeland  &  Adams. 


150          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

They  opened  a  printing  house  in  Milk  street,  at  the  corner 
of  the  alley  leading  to  Trinity  church. 

The  principal  work  of  Kneeland  &  Adams  was  psalters, 
spelling  books,  and  psalm  books,  for  booksellers.  Their 
partnership  continued  only  a  few  years.  Adams  quitted 
printing,  and  became  a  postrider.  J.  Kneeland  did  little, 
if  any,  business,  after  the  commencement  of  the  revolu 
tionary  war.  He  died  in  March,  1795,  aged  sixty-two 
years. 

WILLIAM  MACALPINE  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  where 
he  was  bred  to  bookbinding.  He  came  to  Boston  early  in 
life,  and  set  up  the  trade  of  a  binder;  and,  afterward, 
opened  a  shop,  for  the  sale  of  a  few  common  books,  in 
Marlborough  street,  opposite  to  the  Old  South  church. 
His  business  was  soon  enlarged  by  supplies  of  books  from 
Glasgow.  lie  removed  several  times  to  houses  in  the 
same  street.  A  disagreement  taking  place  between  the 
booksellers  and  the  printers  of  Ames's  Almanack,  the  princi 
pal  booksellers,  who  set  up  a  press  for  themselves,  and  re 
printed  this  Almanac,  *  refused  to  furnish  Macalpine 
with  copies  either  of  their  Almanac,  or  of  any  books 
printed  at  their  press.  Macalpine,  being  thus  denied  a 
supply  of  Ames's  Almanack,  both  by  the  original  printers 
of  it  and  by  the  booksellers  who  reprinted  it,  sent  to 
Edinburgh  for  a  press  and  types,  and  for  a  foreman  to 
superintend  a  printing  house.  In  1762,  he  commenced 
printing;  and,  annually,  furnished  himself  with  Ames's 
Almanack,  and  other  books  for  his  own  sales. 

John  Fleming,  previous  to  his  connection  with  John 
Mein,  was  one  or  two  years  concerned  with  Macalpine  in 
printing. 


1  Copyrights  were  not  then  secured  by  law  in  the  colonies. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  151 

Macalpine  continued  in  business  until  the  commence 
ment  of  the  revolutionary  war ;  he  was  a  royalist,  and 
remained  in  Boston  during  the  siege ;  but  he  quitted  the 
town  with  the  British  army.  He  died  at  Glasgow,  Scotland, 
in  1788. 

JOHN  FLEMING  was  from  Scotland,  where  he  was  brought 
up  to  printing.  He  came  to  Boston  in  1764 ;  and  was, 
for  a  short  time,  connected  with  his  countryman  William 
Macalpine.  Mein,  a  bookseller,  from  Edinburgh,  having 
opened  a  very  large  collection  of  books  for  sale,  Fleming 
separated  from  Macalpine,  and  formed  a  partnership  with 
Mein.  Fleming  made  a  voyage  to  Scotland,  there  pur 
chased  printing  materials  for  the  firm,  hired  three  or  four 
journeymen  printers,  and  accompanied  by  them  re 
turned  to  Boston.  The  company  then  opened  a  printing 
house  in  Wing's  lane,  since  Elm  street,  and  began  printing 
under  the  firm  of  MEIN  &  FLEMING.  Fleming  was  not 
concerned  with  Mein  in  bookselling.  Several  books  were 
printed  at  their  house  for  Mein,  it  being  an  object  with 
him  to  supply  his  own  sales  ;  none  of  them,  however,  were 
of  great  magnitude.  Some  of  these  books  had  a  false 
imprint,  and  were  palmed  upon  the  public  for  London 
editions,  because  Mein  apprehended  that  books  printed  in 
London,  however  executed,  sold  better  than  those  which 
were  printed  in  America ;  and,  at  that  time,  many  pur- 
•  chasers  sanctioned  his  opinion. 

In  less  than  two  years  after  the  establishment  of  this 
company  they  removed  their  printing  materials  to  New- 
bury  street.  In  December,  1767,  they  began  the  publica 
tion  of  a  weekly  newspaper,  entitled,  The  Boston  Chronicle. 
This  paper  was  printed  on  demy,  in  quarto,  imitating,  in 
its  form,  The  London  Chronicle. 

The  Boston  Chronicle  obtained  reputation  ;  but  Mein, 
who  edited  the  paper,  soon  devoted  it  zealously  to  the 


152          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

support  of  the  measures  of  the  British  administration 
against  the  colonies ;  and,  in  consequence,  the  publishers, 
and  particularly  Mein,  incurred  the  displeasure  and  the 
resentment  of  the  whigs,  who  were  warm  advocates  for 
American  liberty.  The  publishers  were  threatened  with 
the  effects  of  popular  resentment.  Mein,  according  to 
his  deserts,  experienced  some  specimens  of  it.  The 
Chronicle  was  discontinued  in  May,  1770,  and  Mein  re 
turned  to  Europe. 

Fleming  was  less  obnoxious.  He  remained  in  Boston ; 
and  as  the  Chronicle  had  been  discontinued,  the  popular 
resentment  soon  subsided.  He  married  a  young  lady  of 
a  respectable  family  in  Boston  ;  and  soon  after  his  late 
partner  went  to  Europe  he  opened  a  printing  house  in 
King  street,  and  printed  books  on  his  own  account.  He 
issued  proposals  for  publishing  Clark's  Family  Bible  in 
folio,  but  did  not  meet  with  encouragement. 

Fleming  continued  in  Boston  until  1773,  when  he  sold 
his  printing  materials  to  Mills  and  Hicks,  and  went  to 
England  with  his  family.  He  more  than  once  visited  this 
country  after  1790,  as  an  agent  for  a  commercial  house  in 
Europe ;  and  subsequently  resided  some  time  in  France, 
where  he  died. 

JOHN  MEIX,  of  the  firm  of  Mein  &  Fleming,  was  born  in 
Scotland,  and  there  bred  to  the  business  of  a  bookseller. 
lie  had  received  a  good  education,  was  enterprising,  and 
possessed  handsome  literary  talents.  He  arrived  at  Bos 
ton,  from  Glasgow,  in  November,  1764,  in  company  with 
Mr.  Robert  Sandeman,1  a  kinsman  of  Mr.  Sandeman  of 
the  same  Christian  name  who  for  a  short  time  was  the 


1  Mr.  Sandeman  was  the  author  of  the  then  celebrated  letters  on  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Hervey's  Theron  and  Aspasio.  A  type  founder  by  the  name  of 
Mitchclson,  I  believe,  arrived  in  the  same  vessel  with  Mein  and  Sande 
man. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  153 

partner  of  Mein,  and  a  number  of  other  Scotchmen,  on  a 
visit  to  this  country  with  a  view  of  settling  here.  Mein 
brought  with  him  a  good  assortment  of  books,  a  quantity 
of  Irish  linens  and  other  goods,  and  opened  a  shop  in 
Marlborough  street  in  connection  with  Sandeman.1  Their 
shop  was  an  old  wooden  building  at  the  north  corner  of 
the  entrance  to  what  is  now  called  Franklin  street.  Their 
firm  was  Mein  &  Sandeman. 

They  continued  in  company  only  a  few  months ;  and, 
when  they  separated,  Mein  took  a  house  in  King  street,  at 
the  corner  of  the  alley  leading  to  the  market,  and  there 
opened  a  large  bookstore  and  circulating  library.  He 
was  connected  with  a  bookseller  in  Scotland,  who  was 
extensively  in  trade ;  and,  by  this  means,  he  was  supplied, 
as  he  wanted,  with  both  Scotch  and  English  editions  of 
the  most  saleable  books.  He  soon  found  that  a  concern 
in  printing  would  be  convenient  and  profitable.  His 
countryman,  John  Fleming,  who  was  a  good  printer,  was 
then  in  Boston  ;  and  with  him  he  formed  a  connection  in 
a  printing  establishment.  Fleming  went  to  Scotland,  and 
procured  printing  materials,  workmen,  etc.  On  his  return 
they,  in  1766,  opened  a  printing  house,  and  printed  a 
number  of  books  for  Mein's  sales,  and  published  The  Bos 
ton  Chronicle,  as  has  been  already  mentioned. 

The  Chronicle  was  printed  on  a  larger  sheet  than  other 
Boston  newspapers  of  that  day,  but  did  not  exceed  them 
in  price.  For  a  time  it  was  well  filled  with  news,  enter 
taining  and  useful  extracts  from  the  best  European  publi 
cations,  and  some  interesting  original  essays.  Mein  was 
doing  business  to  great  advantage,  but  he  soon  took  a 


1  The  first  Robert  Sandeman,  above  mentioned,  was  brought  up  a  linen 
manufacturer.  He  became  a  preacher,  and  adopting  the  peculiar  views 
of  Rev.  John  Glass,  of  Dundee,  his  father-in-law,  he  established  in  Great 
Britain  and  in  this  country  the  sect  called  after  him  Sandemanian.  He 
was  settled  in  Danbury,  Conn.,  where  he  died  in  1771. —  // 

12 


154  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

decided  part  in  favor  of  the  obnoxious  measures  of  the 
British  administration  against  the  colonies,  and  the 
Chronicle  became  a  vehicle  for  the  most  bitter  pieces, 
calumniating  and  vilifying  some  of  those  characters  in 
whom  the  people  of  Massachusetts  placed  high  confidence ; 
and,  in  consequence,  it  lost  its  credit  as  rapidly  as  it  had 
gained  it.  Mein,  its  editor,  became  extremely  odious, 
and  to  avoid  the  effects  of  popular  resentment,  he  secreted 
himself  until  an  opportunity  was  presented  for  a  passage 
to  England.  Mein  had  unquestionably  been  encouraged, 
in  Boston,  as  a  partisan  and  an  advocate  for  the  measures 
of  government.  In  London,  he  engaged  himself  under  the 
pay  of  the  ministry,  as  a  writer  against  the  colonies  ;  but 
after  the  war  commenced  he  sought  other  employment. 

SETH  ADAMS  served  his  apprenticeship  with  Samuel 
Kneeland.  He  began  printing  in  Queen  street,  with  John 
Kneeland;  they  afterwards  occupied  a  printing  house  in 
Milk  street,  at  the  corner  of  Boarded  alley,  since  known  by 
the  name  of  Hawley  street.  They  were  three  or  four 
years  in  business,  and  printed  chiefly  for  the  booksellers. 
Adams's  father-in-law  was  the  first  postrider  between  Bos 
ton  and  Hartford.  When  he  died,  Adams  quitted  print 
ing  and  continued  the  occupation  of  his  father-in-law. 
He  died  a  few  years  after. 

EZEKIEL  RUSSELL  was  born  in  Boston,  and  served  an 
apprenticeship  with  his  brother,  Joseph  Russell,  the  part 
ner  of  John  Green.  In  1765,  he  began  printing  with 
Thomas  Furber,  at  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  under 
the  firm  of  Furber  &  Russell.  Not  succeeding  in  business, 
they  dissolved  their  partnership,  and  Russell  returned  to 
Boston.  He  worked  with  various  printers  until  1769, 
when  he  procured  a  press  and  a  few  types.  With  these 
he  printed  on  his  own  account,  in  a  house  near  Concert 


MASSACHUSETTS.  155 

Hall.  He  afterward  removed  to  Union  street,  where  to  the 
business  of  printing  he  added  that  of  an  auctioneer,  which 
he  soon  quitted,  and  adhered  to  printing.  Excepting  an 
edition  of  Watts' s  Psalms,  he  published  nothing  of  more 
consequence  than  pamphlets,  most  of  which  were  small. 
In  November,  1771,  he  began  a  political  publication  enti 
tled  The  Censor.  This  paper  was  supported,  during  the 
short  period  of  its  existence,  by  those  who  were  in  the 
interest  of  the  British  government. 

Russell  afterward  removed  to  Salem,  and  attempted  the 
publication  of  a  newspaper,  but  did  not  succeed.  He 
again  removed,  and  went  to  Danvers,  and  printed  in  a 
house  known  by  the  name  of  the  Bell  tavern.  In  a  few 
years  he  returned  once  more  to  Boston  ;  and,  finally,  took 
his  stand  in  Essex  street,  near  the  spot  on  which  grew  the 
great  elms,  one  of  which  was  then  standing,  and  was  called 
Liberty  tree.  Here  he  printed  and  sold  ballads,  and  pub 
lished  whole  and  half  sheet  pamphlets  for  peddlers.  In 
these  small  articles  his  trade  principally  consisted,  and 
afforded  him  a  very  decent  support. 

The  wife  of  Russell  was  indeed  an  "  help  meet  for  him." 
She  was  a  very  industrious,  active  woman  ;  and  assisted 
her  husband  in  the  printing  house.  A  young  woman  who 
lived  in  Russell's  family  sometimes  invoked  the  muse, 
and  wrote  ballads  on  recent  tragical  events,  which  being 
immediately  printed,  and  set  off  with  wooden  cuts  of 
coffins,  etc.,  had  frequently  "  a  considerable  run." 

Russell  died  in  September,  1796,  aged  fifty-two  years. 
His  wife  continued  the  business. 

ISAIAH  THOMAS  descended  from  a  respectable  family 
which  had  settled  near  Boston  not  many  years  after  that 
town  was  founded.  His  grandfather  carried  on  mercan 
tile  business  in  that  place,  in  a  store  which  he  owned,  on 
the  town  dock ;  and  died  in  the  year  1746,  leaving  four 


156          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

sons  and  two  daughters,  who  were  all  arrived  at  the  age 
of  maturity.  His  second  son,  Moses,  lived  some  time  on 
Long  Island,  where  he  married  and  had  two  children ; 
after  which  he  returned  to  Boston,  and  had  three  more 
children ;  the  youngest  of  whom  is  the  subject  of  this 
memoir.1 

Moses  Thomas  having  expended  nearly  all  his  patrimony, 
went  away,  and  died  in  North  Carolina;  leaving  his 
widow  in  narrow  circumstances  with  five  dependent  child 
ren.  Her  friends  on  Long  Island  took  the  charge  of  pro 
viding  for  the  two  who  were  born  there,  and  had  been 
left  in  their  care ;  the  others  she  supported  by  the  profits 
of  a  small  shop  she  kept  in  Boston.  Her  diligence  and 
prudent  management  ensured  success;  insomuch  that 
besides  making  provision  for  her  family,  she  was  enabled 
to  purchase  a  small  estate  in  Cambridge.  This  place  she 
afterward  unfortunately  lost ;  for  being  fully  possessed 
with  the  idea  that  the  continental  paper  money,  issued 
during  the  revolutionary  war,  would  ultimately  be  paid 
in  specie,  and  having  what  she  thought  a  very  advantage 
ous  offer  for  her  house  and  land  in  that  kind  of  currency, 
she  sold  the  same,  and  became  one  among  the  number  of 
unfortunate  people  who  lost  nearly  the  whole  of  their  pro 
perty  from  a  misplaced  confidence  in  the  paper  currency 
of  the  day. 

When  her  son,  Isaiah,  born  at  Boston,  January  19, 
1749,  0.  S.,  was  six  years  of  age,  he  was  apprenticed  by 
his  mother  to  Zechariah  Fowle ;  who,  as  has  been  already 
stated,  principally  made  use  of  his  press  in  printing 


1  He  was  engaged  as  clerk  to  an  officer  in  the  expedition  against  Cuba, 
in  1740,  much  against  the  wishes  of  his  father  Peter,  from  whom  he 
absconded  and  enlisted  as  a  common  soldier.  The  interest  of  the  father 
placed  him  in  a  better  situation  than  he  would  have  held  in  the  ranks,  but 
did  not  obtain  his  discharge.  lie  afterwards  sailed  on  a  voyage  to  the 
Mediterranean.  He  owned  a  farm  on  Long  Island,  which  he  cultivated, 
while  lie  kept  a  shop. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  157 

ballads,  and  by  whom  he  was  soon  employed  to  set  types ; 
for  which  purpose  he  was  mounted  on  a  bench  eighteen 
inches  high,  and  the  whole  length  of  a  double  frame  which 
contained  cases  of  both  roman  and  italic.  His  first  essay 
with  the  composing  stick,  was  on  a  ballad  entitled  The 
Lawyer's  Pedigree;  which  was  set  in  types  of  the  size  of 
double  pica. 

He  remained  eleven  years  with  Fowle;  after  which 
period  they  separated,  in  consequence  of  a  disagreement. 
On  quitting  Fowle,  in  1765,  he  went  to  Nova  Scotia,  with  a 
view  to  go  from  thence  to  England,  in  order  to  acquire  a 
more  perfect  knowledge  of  his  business.  He  found  typo 
graphy  in  a  miserable  state  in  that  province  ;  and,  so  far 
was  he  from  obtaining  the  means  of  going  to  England, 
that  he  soon  discovered  that  the  only  printer  in  Halifax 
could  hardly  procure,  by  his  business,  a  decent  livelihood. 
However,  he  remained  there  seven  months ;  during  which 
time  the  memorable  British  stamp  act  took  effect  in  Nova 
Scotia,  which,  in  the  other  colonies,  met  with  a  spirited 
and  successful  opposition. 

The  Halifax  Gazette  was  printed  by  a  Dutchman,  whose 
name  was  Henry.  He  was  a  good  natured,  pleasant  man, 
who  in  common  concerns  did  not  want  for  ingenuity  and 
capacity ;  but  he  might,  with  propriety,  be  called  a  very 
unskilful  printer.  To  his  want  of  knowledge  or  abilities 
in  his  profession,  he  added  indolence;  and,  as  is  too  often 
the  case,  left  his  business  to  be  transacted  by  boys  or 
journeymen,  instead  of  attending  to  it  himself.  His  print 
ing  affairs  were  on  a  very  contracted  scale  ;  and  he  made 
no  efforts  to  render  them  more  extensive.  As  he  had  two 
apprentices,  he  was  not  in  want  of  assistance  in  his  print 
ing  house ;  but  Thomas  accepted  an  offer  of  board  for  his 
services  ;  and  the  sole  management  of  the  Gazette  was  im 
mediately  left  to  him.  He  new  modelled  the  Gazette 
according  to  (he  best  of  his  judgment,  and  as  far  as 


158  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

the  worn  out  printing  materials  would  admit.  It  was  soon 
after  printed  on  stamped  paper,  made  for  the  purpose  in 
England.  To  the  use  of  this  paper,  "  the  young  New 
Englandman,"  as  he  was  called,  was  opposed ;  and,  to  the 
stamp  act  he  was  extremely  hostile. 

A  paragraph  appeared  in  the  Gazette,  purporting  that 
the  people  of  Nova  Scotia  were,  generally,  disgusted  with 
the  stamp  act.  This  paragraph  gave  great  offence  to  the 
officers  of  government,  who  called  Henry  to  account  for 
publishing  what  they  termed  sedition.  Henry  had  not 
so  much  as  seen  the  Gazette  in  which  the  offensive  article 
had  appeared;  consequently  he  pleaded  ignorance;  and, 
in  answer  to  their  interrogatories,  informed  them  that  the 
paper  was,  in  his  absence,  conducted  by  his  journeyman. 
He  was  reprimanded,  and  admonished  that  he  would  be 
deprived  of  the  work  of  government,  should  he,  in  future, 
suffer  any  thing  of  the  kind  to  appear  in  the  Gazette.  It 
was  not  long  before  Henry  was  again  sent  for,  on  account 
of  another  offence  of  a  similar  nature  ;  however,  he  escaped 
the  consequences  he  might  have  apprehended,  by  assuring 
the  officers  of  government  that  he  had  been  confined  by 
sickness ;  and  he  apologized  in  a  satisfactory  manner  for 
the  appearance  of  the  obnoxious  publication.  But  his 
journeyman  was  summoned  to  appear  before  the  secretary 
of  the  province ;  to  whose  office  he  accordingly  went.  He 
was,  probably,  not  known  to  Mr.  Secretary,  who  sternly 
demanded  of  him,  what  he  wanted? 

A.  Nothing,  sir. 

Q.  Why  came  you  here  ? 

A.  Because  I  was  sent  for. 

Q.  What  is  your  name  ? 

A.  Isaiah  Thomas. 

Q.  Are  you  the  young  New  Englandman  who  prints  for 
Henry? 

A.  Yes,  sir. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  159 

Q.  How  dare  you  publish  in  the  Gazette  that  the  people 
of  Nova,  Scotia  are  displeased  with  the  stamp  act  ? 

A.  I  thought  it  was  true. 

Sec.  You  had  no  right  to  think  so.  If  you  publish  any 
thing  more  of  such  stuff,  you  shall  be  punished.  You  may 
go ;  but,  remember  you  are  not  in  New  England. 

A.  I  will,  sir. 

Not  long  after  this  adventure  occurred,  a  vessel  arrived 
at  Halifax  from  Philadelphia,  and  brought  some  of  the 
newspapers  published  in  that  city. 

The  Pennsylvania  Journal,  published  the  day  preceding 
that  on  which  the  stamp  act  was  to  take  effect,  was  in  full 
mourning.  Thick  black  lines  surrounded  the  pages,  and 
were  placed  between  the  columns ;  a  death's  head  and 
cross  bones  were  surmounted  over  the  title ;  and  at  the 
bottom  of  the  last  page  was  a  large  figure  of  a  coffin, 
beneath  which  was  printed  the  age  of  the  paper,  and  an 
account  of  its  having  died  of  a  disorder  called  the  stamp 
act.  A  death's  head,  &c.,  as  a  substitute  for  a  stamp,  was 
placed  at  the  end  of  the  last  column  on  the  first  page. 
Thomas  had  a  strong  desire  to  decorate  The  Halifax  Gazette 
in  the  same  manner ;  but  he  dared  not  do  it,  on  account 
of  his  apprehension  of  the  displeasure  of  the  officers  of 
government.  However,  an  expedient  was  thought  of 
to  obviate  that  difficulty,  which  was  to  insert  in  the 
Gazette  an  article  of  the  following  import :  "  We  are 
desired  by  a  number  of  our  readers,  to  give  a  description 
of  the  extraordinary  appearance  of  the  Pennsylvania  Journal 
of  the  30th  of  October  last,  1765.  We  can  in  no  better 
way  comply  with  this  request,  than  by  the  exemplification 
we  have  given  of  that  journal  in  this  day's  Gazette."  As 
near  as  possible,  a  representation  was  made  of  the  several 
figures,  emblems  of  mortality,  and  mourning  columns ; 
all  which,  accompanied  by  the  qualifying  paragraph, 


160          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

appeared  together  in   The  Halifax  Gazette,  and  made  no 
trifling  bustle  in  the  place. 

Soon  after  this  event,  the  effigy  of  the  stampmaster  was 
hung  on  the  gallows  near  the  citadel ;  and  other  tokens  of 
hostility  to  the  stamp  act  were  exhibited.  These  disloyal 
actions  were  done  silently  and  secretly ;  but  they  created 
some  alarm ;  and  a  captain's  guard  was  continually  sta 
tioned  at  the  house  of  the  stampmaster,  to  protect  him 
from  those  injuries  which  were  expected  to  befal  him.  It 
is  supposed  the  apprehensions  entertained  on  his  account 
were  entirely  groundless.  The  officers  of  government  had 
prided  themselves  on  the  loyalty  of  the  people  of  that 
province  in  not  having  shown  any  opposition  to  the  stamp 
act.  "  These  things  were  against  them ;  "  and  a  facetious 
officer  was  heard  to  repeat  to  some  of  his  friends,  the  old 
English  proverb  :  "  We  have  not  saved  our  bacon." 

An  opinion  prevailed,  that  Thomas  not  only  knew  the 
parties  concerned  in  these  transactions  but  had  a  hand  in 
them  himself;  on  which  account,  a  few  days  after  the 
exhibition  of  the  stampmaster's  effigy,  a  sheriff  went  to 
the  printing  house,  and  informed  Thomas  that  he  had  a 
precept  against  him,  and  intended  to  take  him  to  prison, 
unless  he  would  give  information  respecting  the  persons 
concerned  in  making  and  exposing  the  effigy  of  the  stamp- 
master.  He  mentioned,  that  some  circumstances  had  pro 
duced  a  conviction  in  his  mind  that  Thomas  was  one  of 
those  who  had  been  engaged  in  these  seditious  proceed 
ings.  The  sheriff  receiving  no  satisfactory  answer  to  his 
inquiries,  ordered  Thomas  to  go  with  him  before  a  magis 
trate  ;  and  he,  having  no  person  to  consult,  or  to  give  him 
advice,  in  the  honest  simplicity  of  his  heart  was  about  to 
obey  the  orders  of  this  terrible  alguazil;  but  being 
suddenly  struck  with  the  idea  that  this  proceeding  might 
be  intended  merely  to  alarm  him  into  an  acknowledg 
ment  of  his  privity  to  the  transactions  in  question,  he  told 


MASSACHUSETTS.  161 

the  sheriff  he  did  not  know  him  and  demanded  informa 
tion  respecting  the  authority  by  which  he  acted.  The 
sheriff  answered,  that  he  had  sufficient  authority ;  hut  on 
being  requested  to  exhibit  it,  the  officer  was  evidently 
disconcerted,  and  showed  some  symptoms  of  his  not  acting 
under  "  the  king's  authority."  However,  he  answered  that 
he  would  show  his  authority  when  it  was  necessary ;  and 
again  ordered  this  "  printer  of  sedition"  to  go  with  him. 
Thomas  answered,  he  would  not  obey  him  unless  he 
produced  a  precept,  or  proper  authority  for  taking  him 
prisoner.  After  further  parley  the  sheriff  left  him,  with 
an  assurance  that  he  would  soon  return ;  but  Thomas  saw 
him  no  more ;  and  he  afterward  learned  that  this  was  a 
plan  concerted  for  the  purpose  of  surprising  him  into  a 
confession. 

A  short  time  before  the  exhibition  of  the  effigy  of  the 
stampmaster,  Henry  had  received  from  the  stamp-office 
the  whole  stock  of  paper  that  was  sent  ready  stamped 
from  England  for  the  use  of  the  Gazette.  The  quantity 
did  not  exceed  six  or  eight  reams ;  but  as  only  three 
quires  were  wanted  weekly  for  the  newspaper,  it  would 
have  sufficed  for  the  purpose  intended  twelve  months. 
It  was  not  many  weeks  after  the  sheriff,  already  men 
tioned,  made  his  exit  from  the  printing  house,  when 
it  was  discovered  that  this  paper  was  divested  of  the 
stamps ;  not  one  remained ;  they  had  been  cut  off  and 
destroyed.  On  this  occasion,  an  article  appeared  in  the 
Gazette,  announcing  that  "  all  the  stamped  paper  for  the 
Gazette  was  used,  and  as  no  more  could  be  had,  it  would 
in  future  be  published  without  stamps." 

In  March,  1767,  Thomas  quitted  Halifax,  and  went  to 

New  Hampshire ;  where  he  worked,  for  some  time,  in  the 

printing  houses  of  Daniel  Fowle,  and  Furber  &  Russell. 

In  July  following  he  returned  to  Boston.     There   he    re- 

13 


162          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

mained  several  months,  in  the  employ  of  his  old  master, 
Z.  Fowlo. 

Receiving  an  invitation  from  the  captain  of  a  vessel  to  go 
to  Wilmington,  in  North  Carolina,  where  he  was  assured  a 
printer  was  wanted,  he  arranged  his  affairs  with  Fowle, 
again  left  him,  by  agreement,  and  went  to  Newport.  There 
he  waited  on  Martin  Howard,  Esq.,  chief  justice  of  North 
Carolina,  who  wras  then  at  that  place,  and  was  about  de 
parting  for  Wilmington.  To  this  gentleman  he  made 
known  his  intention  of  going  to  North  Carolina,  and  re 
ceived  encouragement  from  the  judge,  who  gave  him 
assurances  of  his  influence  in  procuring  business  for  him 
at  Cape  Fear ;  for  which  place  they  sailed  in  the  same 
vessel. 

A  gentleman  at  Newport  also  favored  him  with  a  letter 
of  recommendation  to  Robert  Wells,  printer,  in  Charles 
ton,  South  Carolina. 

When  he  arrived  at  Wilmington,  he,  in  pursuance  of 
advice  from  Judge  Howard,  and  several  other  gentlemen, 
waited  on  Governor  Tryon,  then  at  that  place.  The 
governor  encouraged  him  to  settle  there,  and  flattered  him 
that  he  would  be  favored  with  a  part  of  the  printing  for 
government.  But  as  a  printer  he  labored  under  no  incon 
siderable  difficulty,  that  is,  he  had  neither  press,  nor  types, 
nor  money  to  purchase  them. 

It  happened  that  Andrew  Stenart,  a  printer,  was  then 
at  Wilmington,  who  had  a  press  with  two  or  three  very 
small  founts  of  letters  for  sale.  He  had  printed  a  news 
paper,  and  as  some  work  was  given  him  by  the  government, 
he  called  himself  king's  printer ;  but  at  this  period  he  was 
without  business,  having  given  great  offence  to  the  go 
vernor  and  the  principal  gentlemen  at  Cape  Fear.  For  this 
reason  he  was  desirous  to  sell  the  materials  he  had  then 
in  that  place,  and  to  return  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  had 
another  small  printing  establishment. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  163 

Pursuant  to  the  advice  of  several  gentlemen,  Thomas 
applied  to  Steuart,  to  purchase  the  press,  etc.  ;  but  Steuart, 
knowing  he  could  not  easily  be  accommodated  with  these 
articles  elsewhere,  took  advantage  of  his  situation,  and 
demanded  about  three  times  as  much  for  them  as  they 
cost  when  new.  After  some  debate,  Steuart  lowered  his 
price  to  about  double  the  value.  Several  gentlemen  of 
Wilmington  offered  to  advance  money,  on  a  generous 
credit,  to  enable  Thomas  to  make  the  purchase.  When 
Steuart  found  the  money  could  be  raised,  he  refused  to 
let  the  types  go  without  an  appendage  of  a  negro  woman 
and  her  child,  whom  he  wished  to  sell  before  he  quitted 
the  place.  An  argument  ensued ;  but  Steuart  persisted 
in  his  refusal  to  part  with  the  printing  materials,  unless 
the  negroes  were  included  in  the  sale.  Thomas,  after 
advising  with  friends,  agreed  to  take  them,  finding  he 
could  dispose  of  them  for  nearly  the  price  he  was  to  give 
for  them.  He  then  thought  the  bargain  was  concluded; 
but  Steuart  threw  a  new  difficulty  in  the  way.  He  had  a 
quantity  of  common  household  furniture,  not  the  better 
for  wear,  which  he  also  wanted  to  dispose  of;  and  would 
not  part  with  the  other  articles  unless  the  purchaser  would 
take  these  also.  The  furniture  was  entirely  out  of  Thomas's 
line  of  business,  and  he  had  no  use  for  it.  He,  therefore, 
declared  himself  off  the  bargain;  and  afterward,  when 
Steuart  retracted  respecting  the  sale  of  furniture,  Thomas 
began  to  be  discouraged  by  the  prospects  the  place  afforded ; 
he  was  not  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  the  country ; 
his  money  was  all  gone  ;  and  his  inclination  to  visit  Eng 
land  was  renewed.  For  these  reasons  he  renounced  all 
thoughts  of  settling  at  Cape  Fear  at  that  time ;  although 
a  merchant  there  offered  to  send  to  England  by  the  first 
opportunity  for  a  printing  apparatus,  which  he  would  en 
gage  Thomas  should  have  on  a  long  credit. 


164          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

With  a  view  to  go  to  England,  he  entered  himself  as 
steward  on  board  a  ship  bound  to  the  West  Indies; 
expecting  when  he  arrived  there  he  should  easily  find  an 
opportunity  to  go  to  London.  lie  did  duty  on  board  the 
vessel  ten  days;  but  imbibing  a  dislike  to  the  captain,  who 
was  often  intoxicated,  and  attempted  to  reduce  him  into  a 
mere  cabin  boy,  and  to  employ  him  about  the  most  servile 
and  menial  offices,  he  revolted  at  these  indignities,  and 
procured  his  discharge.  On  this  occasion  he  remembered 
the  recommendation  he  had  received  at  Newport  to  a 
printer  at  Charleston ;  and,  finding  a  packet  bound  there, 
he  quitted  a  very  kind  friend  he  had  gained  at  Wilming 
ton,  and  after  a  long  passage,  in  which  he  met  with  many 
adventures,  besides  that  lamentable  one  of  spending  his 
last  shilling,  he  arrived  at  Charleston. 

When  he  presented  the  letter  of  recommendation  to 
Wells,  the  printer,  he  had  the  mortification  to  learn  he 
was  not  in  want  of  a  journeyman.  However,  Wells  civilly 
employed  him  at  low  wages,  and  soon  put  him  into  full 
pay.  He  continued  at  Charleston  two  years;  and  had 
nearly  completed  a  contract  to  go  and  settle  in  the  West 
Indies  ;  but  his  health  declining,  he  returned  to  Boston  in 
1770,  after  having  visited  several  of  the  southern  colonies. 

He  now  formed  a  connection  with  Zechariah  Fowle,  and 
began  business  by  publishing  The  Massachusetts  Spy,  a 
small  newspaper  printed  three  times  in  a  week. 

Thomas's  partnership  with  his  former  master,  Fowle, 
continued  but  three  months.  He  then  purchased  the 
printing  materials  which  Fowle  had  in  his  possession,  and 
gave  his  security  to  Fowle's  creditor  for  the  payment. 
Fowle  had,  during  nineteen  years,  been  in  possession  of 
his  press  and  types,  and  had  not  paid  for  them.  The 
creditor  was  a  near  relation  by  marriage,  and  had  exacted 
only  the  payment  of  the  annual  interest  of  the  debt. 
Thomas  continued  the  Spy,  but  altered  the  publication  of 


MASSACHUSETTS.  165 

it  from  three  times  to  twice  a  week.  Each  publication  con 
tained  a  half  sheet.  After  having  published  it  three 
months  in  the  new  form,  he  discontinued  it  in  December, 
1770.  On  the  5th  of  March,  1771,  he  began  another  paper 
with  the  same  title,  which  was  published  weekly,  on  a  large 
sheet  folio. 

<f  I  It  was  at  first  the  determination  of  Thomas  that  his  paper 
should  be  free  to  both  parties  which  then  agitated  the 
country,  and,  impartially,  lay  before  the  public  their 
respective  communications;  but  he  soon  found  that  this 
ground  could  not  be  maintained.  The  dispute  between 
Britain  and  her  American  colonies  became  more  and  more 
serious,  and  deeply  interested  every  class  of  men  in  the 
community.  The  parties  in  the  dispute  took  the  names  of 
"Whigs  and  Tories ;  the  tories  were  the  warm  supporters  of 
the  measures  of  the  British  cabinet,  and  the  whigs  the 
animated  advocates  for  American  liberty.  The  tories  soon 
discontinued  their  subscriptions  for  the  Spy ;  and  the 
publisher  was  convinced  that  to  produce  an  abiding  and 
salutary  effect  his  paper  must  have  a  fixed  character.  He 
was  in  principle  attached  to  the  party  which  opposed  the 
measures  of  the  British  ministry;  and  he  therefore  an 
nounced  that  the  Spy  would  be  devoted  to  the  support 
of  the  whig  interest.  / 

Some  overtures  had  been  previously  made  by  the  friends 
of  the  British  government  to  induce  him  to  have  the  Spy 
conducted  wholly  on  their  side  of  the  question ;  and,  these 
having  been  rejected,  an  attempt  was  made  to  force  a 
compliance,  or  to  deprive  him  of  his  press  and  types.  It 
was  knowrn  that  he  was  in  debt  for  these  articles,  and  that 
his  creditor  was  an  officer  of  government,  appointed  by 
the  crown.  This  officer,  notwithstanding  he  was  a  very 
worthy  man,  was  pushed  on  to  make  a  demand  of  pay 
ment,  contrary  to  his  verbal  agreement,  under  the  appre 
hension  that  the  money  could  not  be  raised.  When 


166  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Thomas  assumed  the  debt  of  Fowle,  he  gave  his  bond, 
payable  in  one  year,  under  an  assurance  that  the  capital 
might  lay  as  it  had  done,  if  the  interest  annually  due  should 
be  punctually  paid ;  and  when  contrary  to  stipulation  the 
capital  was  demanded,  he  borrowed  money,  and  paid  one 
debt  by  contracting  another. 

An  essay  published  in  the  Spy,  November,  1771,  under 
the  signature  of  Mucius  Screvola,  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  executive  of  the  province.  Governor  Hutchinson 
assembled  his  council  on  the  occasion ;  and,  after  consulta 
tion,  the  board  determined  that  the  printer  should  be 
ordered  before  them.  In  pursuance  of  this  resolution,  their 
messenger  was  sent  to  inform  Thomas  that  his  attendance 
was  required  in  the  council  chamber.  To  this  message  he 
replied,  "  that  he  was  busily  employed  in  his  office,  and 
could  not  wait  upon  his  excellency  and  their  honors." 
The  messenger  returned  to  the  council  with  this  answer, 
and,  in  an  hour  after,  again  came  into  Thomas's  printing 
house  and  informed  him  that  the  governor  and  council 
waited  for  his  attendance  ;  and,  by  their  direction,  inquired, 
whether  he  was  ready  to  appear  before  them.  Thomas 
answered,  that  he  was  not.  The  messenger  went  to  make 
his  report  to  the  council,  and  Thomas  to  ask  advice  of  a 
distinguished  law  character.  lie  was  instructed  to  persist 
in  his  refusal  to  appear  before  the  council,  as  they  had  no 
legal  right  to  summon  him  before  them  ;  but,  should  a  war 
rant  issue  from  the  proper  authority,  he  must  then  submit 
to  the  sheriff  who  should  serve  such  a  process  upon  him. 
This  was  a  critical  moment ;  the  affair  had  taken  air,  and  the 
public  took  an  interest  in  the  event.  The  council  pro 
ceeded  with  caution,  for  the  principle  was  at  issue,  whether 
they  possessed  authority  arbitrarily  to  summon  whom  they 
pleased  before  their  board,  to  answer  to  them  for  their  con 
duct.  The  messenger  was,  however,  the  third  time  sent  to 
Thomas,  and  brought  him  this  verbal  order. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  167 

Mess.  The  governor  and  council  order  your  immediate 
attendance  before  them  in  the  council  chamber. 

T.  I  will  not  go. 

Mess.  You  do  not  give  this  answer  with  an  intention 
that  I  should  report  it  to  the  governor  and  council  ? 

T.  Have  you  any  thing  written,  by  which  to  show  the 
authority  under  which  you  act  ? 

Mess.  I  have  delivered  to  you  the  order  of  the  governor 
and  council,  as  it  was  given  to  me. 

T.  If  I  understand  you,  the  governor  and  council  order 
my  immediate  attendance  before  them  ? 

Mess.  They  do. 

T.  Have  you  the  order  in  writing  ? 

Mess.  ~No. 

T.  Then,  sir,  with  all  due  respect  to  the  governor  and 
council,  I  am  engaged  in  my  own  concerns,  and  shall  not 
attend. 

Mess.  "Will  you  commit  your  answer  to  writing  ? 

T.  No,  sir. 

Mess.  You  had  better  go ;  you  may  repent  your  refusal 
to  comply  with  the  order  of  the  council. 

T.  I  must  abide  by  the  result.1 

The  messenger  carried  the  refusal  to  the  council.  The 
board  for  several  hours  debated  the  question,  whether  they 
should  commit  Thomas  for  contempt ;  but  it  was  suggested 
by  some  member  that  he  could  not  legally  be  committed 
unless  he  had  appeared  before  them ;  in  that  case  his  an 
swers  might  have  been  construed  into  a  contempt  of  their 
body,  and  been  made  the  ground  of  commitment.  It  was 
also  suggested  that  they  had  not  authority  to  compel  his 
appearance  before  them  to  answer  for  any  supposed  crime 
or  misdemeanor  punishable  by  law,  as  particular  tribunals 
had  the  exclusive  cognizance  of  such  offences.  The  sup- 

1  This  conversation  with  the  messenger  is  taken  from  a  memorandum 
made  at  the  time. 


168         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

posed  want  of  authority  was,  indeed,  the  reason  why  a 
compulsory  process  had  not  been  adopted  in  the  first 
instance.  There  were  not  now,  as  formerly,  licensers  of 
the  press. 

The  council,  being  defeated  in  the  design  to  get  the 
printer  before  them,  ordered  the  attorney  general  to  prose 
cute  him  at  common  law.  A  prosecution  was  accordingly 
soon  attempted,  and  great  effort  made  to  effect  his  con 
viction.  The  chief  justice,  at  the  following  term  of  the 
supreme  court  in  Boston,  in  his  charge  to  the  grand  jury, 
dwelt  largely  on  the  doctrine  of  libels;  on  the  present 
licentiousness  of  the  press ;  and  on  the  necessity  of  restrain 
ing  it.  The  attorney  general  presented  a  bill  of  indict 
ment  to  the  grand  inquest  against  Isaiah  Thomas  for 
publishing  an  obnoxious  libel.  The  Court  House  was 
crowded  from  day  to  day  to  learn  the  issue.  The  grand 
jury  returned  this  bill,  Ignoramus.  Foiled  by  the  grand 
jury  in  this  mode  of  prosecution,  the  attorney  general  was 
directed  to  adopt  a  different  process ;  and  to  file  an  in 
formation  against  Thomas.  This  direction  of  the  court 
was  soon  known  to  the  writers  in  the  opposition,  who 
attacked  it  with  so  much  warmth  and  animation,  and 
offered  such  cogent  arguments  to  prove  that  it  infringed 
the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  subject,  that  the  court  thought 
proper  to  drop  the  measure.  Unable  to  convict  the  printer 
either  by  indictment  or  information  in  Suffolk,  a  proposal 
was  made  to  prosecute  him  in  some  other  county,  under 
the  following  pretext.  The  printers  of  newspapers  circu 
late  them  through  the  province,  and  of  course  publish  them 
as  extensively  as  they  are  circulated.  Thomas,  for  in 
stance,  circulates  the  Spy  in  the  county  of  Essex,  and  as 
truly  publishes  the  libel  in  that  county  as  in  Suffolk  where 
the  paper  is  printed.  The  fallacy  of  this  argument  was 
made  apparent ;  the  measure  was  not  adopted,  and  govern 
ment  for  that  time  gave  over  the  prosecution  ;  but,  on  a 


MASSACHUSETTS.  169 

subsequent   occasion,  some  attempts  of  that  kind   were 
renewed.1 

It  became  at  length  apparent  to  all  reflecting  men  that 
hostilities  must  soon  take  place  between  Great  Britain  and 
her  American  colonies.  Thomas  had  rendered  himself 
very  obnoxious  to  the  friends  of  the  British  administra 
tion  ;  and,  in  consequence,  the  tories,  and  some  of  the 
British  soldiery  in  the  town,  openly  threatened  him  with 
the  effects  of  their  resentment.  For  these  and  other 
reasons,  he  was  induced  to  pack  up,  privately,  a  press  and 
types,  and  to  send  them  in  the  night  over  Charles  river 
to  Charlestown,  whence  they  were  conveyed  to  Worcester. 
This  was  only  a  few  days  before  the  affair  at  Lexington. 
The  press  and  types  constituted  the  whole  of  the  property 
he  saved  from  the  proceeds  of  five  years  labor.  The 
remainder  was  destroyed  or  carried  oft"  by  the  followers 
and  adherents  of  the  royal  army  when  it  quitted  Boston . 

On  the  night  of  April  18,  1775,  it  was  discovered  that  a 
considerable  number  of  British  troops  were  embarking  in 
boats  on  the  river  near  the  common,  with  the  manifest 
design  to  destroy  the  stores  collected  by  the  provincials 
at  Concord,  eighteen  miles  from  Boston ;  and  he  was 
concerned,  with  others,  in  giving  the  alarm.  At  day 
break,  the  next  morning,  he  crossed  from  Boston  over  to 
Charlestown  in  a  boat  with  Dr.  Joseph  Warren,2  went  to 
Lexington,  and  joined  the  provincial  militia  in  opposing  the 
king's  troops.  On  the  20th,  he  went  to  Worcester,  opened 
a  printing  house,  and  soon  after  recommenced  the  publica 
tion  of  his  newspaper.3 


1  On  account  of  some  essays  addressed  to  the  king,  published  in  the 
Spy  in  September,  1772,  and  at  other  periods. 

2  Dr.   Warren   was  soon   after  appointed  major  general  of  the  pro 
vincial  troops,  and  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Breed's,  often  called  Bunk 
er's  hill,  June  17,  1775. 

3  The  publication  of  the  Spy  ceased  for  three  weeks.    It  appeared 
from  the  press  in  Worcester,  May  3d,  1775.     This  was  the  first  printing 
done  in  any  inland  town  in  New  England. 

14 


170          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

The  provincial  congress,  assembled  at  Watertown,  pro 
posed  that  Thomas's  press  should  be  removed  to  that 
place  ;  but,  as  all  concerns  of  a  public  nature  were  then  in 
a  state  of  derangement,  it  was  finally  determined  that  his 
press  should  remain  at  Worcester,  and  that  postriders 
should  be  established  to  facilitate  an  intercourse  between 
that  place,  Watertown  and  Cambridge ;  and  at  Worces 
ter  he  continued  to  print  for  congress  until  a  press  was 
established  at  Cambridge  and  at  Watertown. 

During  the  time  he  had  been  in  business  at  Boston  he 
had  published  a  number  of  pamphlets,  but  not  many  books 
of  more  consequence.  Having  made  an  addition  to  his 
printing  materials,  in  1773,  he  sent  a  press  and  types  to 
Newburyport,1  and  committed  the  management  of  the 
same  to  a  young  printer  whom  he  soon  after  took  into 
partnership  in  his  concerns  in  that  place ;  and  in  December 
of  the  same  year,  he  began  the  publication  of  a  newspaper 
in  that  town.  His  partner  managed  their  affairs  impru 
dently,  and  involved  the  company  in  debt;  in  consequence 
of  which  Thomas  sold  out  at  considerable  loss.  In  Janu 
ary,  1774,  he  began  in  Boston  the  publication  of  The  Royal 
American  Magazine  ;  but  the  general  distress  and  commotion 
in  the  town,  occasioned  by  the  operation  of  the  act  of  the 
British  parliament  to  blockade  the  port  of  Boston,  obliged 
him  to  discontinue  it  before  the  expiration  of  the  year, 
much  to  the  injury  of  his  pecuniary  interests,  [fe  Wor 
cester  — Newspapers ,  £c.  ] 

JOHN  BOYLE  served  an  apprenticeship  with  Green  & 
Eussell.  He  purchased  the  types  of  Fletcher  of  Halifax, 
and  began  business  as  a  printer  and  bookseller  in  Marl- 
borough  street  in  1771,  and  printed  a  few  books  on  his 
own  account.  In  May,  1774,  Boyle  formed  a  partnership 
with  Richard  Draper,  publisher  of  The  Massachusetts 

1  This  was  the  first  press  set  up  in  Nevvburyport. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  171 

Gazette,  or  Boston  News  Letter.  Draper  died  the  following 
month,  but  his  widow  continued  the  newspaper,  &c. 
Boyle  was  in  partnership  with  the  widow  until  August 
following ;  they  then  dissolved  their  connection,  and  Boyle 
returned  to  his  former  stand. 

In  1775,  Boyle  sold  his  printing  materials,  but  retained 
his  bookstore,  which  he  continued  to  keep  in  the  same 
place.1 

NATHANIEL  DAVIS  served  his  apprenticeship  with  Daniel 
Kneeland,  and  during  the  year  1772  and  1773  was  in 
partnership  with  him ;  soon  after  which  he  died.  They 
had  a  small  printing  house,  where  Scollay's  Buildings  now 
stand,  at  the  head  of  Court  street.2  They  published  a 
number  of  pamphlets,  and  did  some  work  for  booksellers. 
{See  Daniel  Kneeland.~\ 

NATHANIEL  MILLS  was  born  within  a  few  miles  of  Bos 
ton,  and  served  his  apprenticeship  with  John  Fleming. 

Mills  had  just  completed  his  time  of  service  when 
Fleming  quitted  business.  John  Hicks  and  Mills  were 
nearly  of  an  age,  and  they  formed  a  copartnership  under 
the  firm  of  MILLS  &  HICKS.  The  controversy  between 
Britain  and  her  American  colonies  at  this  period  assumed 
a  very  serious  aspect,  and  government  was  disposed  to  enlist 
the  press  in  support  of  the  measures  of  the  British  ministry. 
Mills  &  Hicks  were  urged  by  the  partisans  of  government 
to  purchase  Fleming's  printing  materials,  and  the  right 
which  Green  &  Russell  had  in  the  newspaper  entitled 
The  Massachusetts  Gazette,  and  Boston  Post  Boy,  &c.  They 
pursued  the  advice  given  them ;  and  being  by  this  purchase 


1  Boyle  died  in  1819.     See  Buckingham's  Reminiscences,  i,  42,  for  further 
particulars  of  him. —  M. 

2  Scollay's  Buildings  have  recently  been  removed  and  the  laud  made 
part  of  the  street. — II. 


172          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

furnished  with  types  and  with  a  newspaper,  they  opened 
a  printing  house  in  April,  1773,  in  School  street,  nearly 
opposite  to  the  small  church  erected  for  the  use  of  the 
French  Protestants.1 

The  British  party  handsomely  supported  the  paper  of 
Mills  £  Hicks,  and  afforded  pecuniary  aid  to  the  printers. 
Several  able  writers  defended  the  British  administration 
from  the  attack  of  their  American  opponents;  and  the 
selection  of  articles  in  support  of  government  for  this 
paper  as  well  as  its  foreign  and  domestic  intelligence  dis 
played  the  discernment  and  assiduity  of  the  compilers. 

Mills  was  a  sensible,  genteel  young  man,  and  a  good 
printer,  and  had  the  principal  management  of  the  printing 
house.  The  newspaper  was  their  chief  concern  ;  besides 
which  they  printed  during  the  two  years  they  were  in  Boston 
only  a  few  political  pamphlets  and  the  Massachusetts  Register. 
The  commencement  of  hostilities,  in  April,  1775,  put  an 
end  to  the  publication  of  their  Gazette.  Soon  after  the 
war  began,  Mills  came  out  of  Boston,  and  resided  a  few 
weeks  at  Cambridge ;  but  returned  to  Boston,  where 
he  and  his  partner  remained  until  the  town  was  evacuated 
by  the  British  troops.  They,  with  others  who  had  been 
in  opposition  to  the  country  went  with  the  British  army 
to  Halifax,  and  from  thence  to  Great  Britain.  After  two 
years  residence  in  England  they  came  to  New  York,  then 
in  possession  of  the  British  troops. 

In  New  York  they  opened  a  stationery  store,  and  did 
some  printing  for  the  royal  army  and  navy.  They  after 
wards  formed  a  partnership  with  Alexander  and  James 
Robertson,  who  published  the  Royal  American  Gazette  in 
that  city.  The  firm  was  ROBERTSONS,  MILLS  &  HICKS,  and 
so  continued  until  peace  took  place  in  1783.  Mills  and 
Hicks  then  returned  to  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia;  but  their 

1  A  number  of  Separatists  afterward  purchased  this  church,  and  settled 
as  their  minister  the  Rev.  Andrew  Croswell. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  173 

partnership  was  soon  after  dissolved,  and  Mills  went  and 
resided  at  Shelburne,  in  that  province. 

JOHN  HICKS  was  born  in  Cambridge,  near  Boston,  and 
served  an  apprenticeship  with  Green  &  Russell.  He  was 
the  partner  of  Nathaniel  Mills.  [For  particulars  respecting 
this  company  see  Nathaniel  Mills.'] 

Hicks,  previous  to  his  entering  into  partnership  with 
Mills,  was  supposed  to  be  a  zealous  young  whig.  He  was 
reputed  to  have  been  one  of  the  young  men  who  had  the 
affray  with  some  British  soldiers  which  led  to  the  memo 
rable  massacre  in  King  street,  Boston,  on  the  5th  of 
March,  1770. 

Interest  too  often  biasses  the  human  mind.  The  officers 
and  friends  of  government  at  that  time,  unquestionably 
gave  encouragement  to  the  few  printers  who  enlisted 
themselves  for  the  support  of  the  British  parliament. 
Draper's  Massachusetts  Gazette  and  Boston  Weekly  News 
Letter  was  the  only  paper  in  Boston,  when,  and  for  some 
time  before,  Mills  &  Hicks  began  printing,  which  disco 
vered  the  least  appearance  of  zeal  in  supporting  the 
measures  of  the  British  administration  against  the  colo 
nies — and  Draper  was  the  printer  to  the  governor  and 
council. 

The  Massachusetts  Gazette  and  Post  Boy,  &c.,  printed  by 
Green  &  Russell,  was  a  rather  dull  recorder  of  common 
occurrences.  Its  publishers,  although  instigated  by  print 
ing  for  the  custom  house,  and  by  other  profitable  work 
for  government,  did  not  appear  to  take  an  active  part  in 
its  favor.  The  dispute  with  the  parent  country  daily  be 
came  more  and  more  important;  and  it  evidently  appeared 
that  the  administration  deemed  it  necessary  that  there 
should  be  a  greater  number  of  newspapers  zealously  de 
voted  to  the  support  of  the  cause  of  Great  Britain.  It  was 
therefore  decided  that  Green  &  Russell  should  resign  the 


174          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

printing  of  their  Gazette  to  Mills  &  Hicks ;  and  these  were 
animated  by  extraordinary  encouragement  to  carry  it  on 
with  spirit  and  energy  in  support  of  the  royal  cause.  A 
number  of  writers,  some  of  them  said  to  be  officers  of  the 
British  army,  were  engaged  to  give  new  life  and  spirit  to 
this  Gazette.  Mills  &  Hicks  managed  the  paper  to  the 
satisfaction  of  their  employers  until  the  commencement 
of  the  revolutionary  war,  which  took  place  in  two  years 
after  they  began  printing. 

The  father  of  Hicks  was  one  of  the  first  who  fell  in  this 
war.  When  a  detachment  of  the  British  troops  marched 
to  Concord  to  destroy  the  public  stores  collected  there  by 
order  of  the  provincial  congress,  Ilicks's  father  was  among 
the  most  forward  to  fly  to  arms,  in  order  to  attack  this 
detachment  on  its  return  to  Boston,  after  it  had  killed  a 
number  of  Americans  at  Lexington,  and  partially  exe 
cuted  the  design  of  the  expedition  to  Concord ;  and  in  the 
defence  of  his  country  he  lost  his  life. 

Notwithstanding  this  sacrifice  of  his  father  on  the  altar 
of  liberty,  Hicks  still  adhered  to  the  British,  and  remained 
with  the  royal  army,  supporting,  as  a  printer,  their  cause, 
until  a  peace  was  concluded  by  the  acknowledgment  of 
the  independence  of  the  United  States.  When  the  British 
army  quitted  New  York,  Hicks,  with  many  other  Ameri 
can  loyalists,  went  with  them  to  Halifax.  After  remaining 
there  a  few  years,  he  returned  to  Boston.  Having  acquired 
a  very  considerable  property  by  his  business  during  the 
war,  he  purchased  a  handsome  estate  at  Newton,  on  which 
he  resided  until  his  death. 

JOSEPH  GREEXLEAF  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the 
county  of  Plymouth,  and  lived  at  Abington,  Massachusetts. 
He  possessed  some  talents  as  a  popular  writer,  and  in 
consequence  was  advised,  in  1771,  to  remove  into  Boston, 


MASSACHUSETTS.  175 

and  write  occasionally  on  the  side  of  the  patriots.  He  fur 
nished  a  number  of  pieces  for  the  Massachusetts  Spy. 
These  displayed  an  ardent  zeal  in  the  cause  of  American 
liberty,  and  in  the  then  state  of  the  popular  mind,  amidst 
many  pungent,  and  some  more  elegantly  written  communi 
cations,  they  produced  a  salutary  effect. 

Not  long  after  he  came  to  Boston,  a  piece  under  the 
signature  of  Mucius  Scsevola,  as'  has  been  already  men 
tioned,  appeared  in  the  Massachusetts  Spy,  which  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  governor  and  council  of  Massachusetts. 
They  sent  for  Thomas,  the  printer,  but  he  did  not  appear 
before  them.  Greenleaf  who  was  suspected  of  being  con- 
cerned  in  the  publication  of  that  paper,  was  also  required  to 
attend  in  the  council  chamber ;  but  he  did  not  make  his 
appearance  before  that  board.  The  council  then  advised 
the  governor  to  take  from  Greenleaf  his  commission  as  a 
justice  of  the  peace,  as  he  "  was  generally  reputed  to  be 
concerned  with  Isaiah  Thomas  in  printing  and  publishing 
a  newspaper  called  the  Massachusetts  Spy."  Greenleaf  was 
accordingly  dismissed  as  a  magistrate. 

In  1773,  Greenleaf  purchased  a  press  and  types,  and 
opened  a  printing  house  in  Hanover  street,  near  Concert 
Hall.  He  printed  several  pamphlets,  and  An  Abridgment  of 
Burn's  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

In  August,  1774,  he  continued  the  publication  of  The 
Royal  American  Magazine  begun  by  Thomas.  The  revo 
lutionary  war  closed  his  printing  business.  Greenleaf  was 
not  bred  a  printer ;  but  having  little  property,  he  set  up 
a  press  at  an  advanced  period  of  his  life,  as  the  means  of 
procuring  a  livelihood.  A  son  of  his,  nearly  of  age,  had 
learned  printing  of  Thomas,1  and  managed  his  father 'sprint 
ing  house  during  the  short  time  he  carried  on  business. 


1  Thomas  Greenleaf,  afterward  the  publisher  of  a  newspaper  in  New 
York. 


176          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

MARGARET  DRAPER  was  the  widow  of  Richard  Draper. 
She  published  the  Massachusetts  Gazette  and  Boston  News 
Letter  after  his  death.  Boyle,  who  had  been  connected 
with  her  husband  a  short  time  before  he  died,  continued 
the  management  of  her  printing  house  for  about  four 
months  ;  and,  during  that  time,  his  name  appeared  after 
Margaret  Draper's  in  the  imprint  of  the  Gazette.  At  the 
expiration  of  this  period  their  partnership  was  dissolved. 
Margaret  Draper  conducted  the  concerns  of  the  printing 
house  for  several  months,  and  then  formed  a  connection 
with  John  Howe,  who  managed  the  business  of  the  com 
pany,  agreeably  to  the  advice  of  her  friends,  whilst  she 
remained  in  Boston.  She  printed  for  the  governor  and 
council ;  but  the  newspaper  was  the  principal  work  done 
in  her  printing  house. 

A  few  weeks  after  the  revolutionary  war  commenced, 
and  Boston  was  besieged,  all  the  newspapers,  excepting 
her's,  ceased  to  be  published ;  and  but  one  of  them,  The 
Boston  Gazette,  was  revived  after  the  British  evacuated  the 
town.  It  is  noteworthy  that  The  News  Letter  was  the  first 
and  the  last  newspaper  which  was  published  in  Boston 
prior  to  the  declaration  of  independence. 

Margaret  Draper  left  Boston  with  the  British  army,  and 
went  to  Halifax  :  from  thence  she  soon  took  passage,  with 
a  number  of  her  friends,  for  England.  She  received  a 
pension  from  the  British  government,  and  remained  in 
England  until  her  death. 

JOHN  HOWE  was  born  in  Boston,  and  there  served  a 
regular  apprenticeship  at  the  printing  business.  His  father 
was  a  reputable  tradesman  in  Marshall's  lane.  In  the 
account  given  of  Margaret  Draper,  mention  is  made 
that  Howe  became  connected  with  her  in  publishing  her 
Gazette,  etc.  He  had  recently  become  of  age,  and  was 
a  sober,  discreet  young  man  ;  Mrs.  Draper,  therefore,  was 


MASSACHUSETTS.  177 

induced,  a  short  time  before  the  commencement  of  the 
war,  to  take  him  into  partnership ;  but  his  name  did  not 
appear  in  the  imprint  of  the  Massachusetts  Gazette  till  Bos 
ton  was  besieged  by  the  continental  army.  Howe  remained 
with  his  partner  until  they  were  obliged  to  leave  Boston, 
in  consequence  of  the  evacuation  of  the  town  by  the  British 
troops  in  March,  1776.  He  then  went  to  Halifax,  where 
he  published  a  newspaper,  and  printed  for  the  government 
of  Nova  Scotia.1 

SALEM 

Was  the  third  place  in  the  province  of  Massachusetts 
in  which  a  press  was  established.  The  first  printing  house 
was  opened  in  1768,  by  SAMUEL  HALL.  He  was  born  in 
Meclford,  Massachusetts,  served  an  apprenticeship  with  his 
uncle,  Daniel  Fowle,  of  Portsmouth,  and  first  began  busi 
ness  in  Newport,  in  1763,  in  company  with  Anne  Franklin, 
whose  daughter  he  married. 

•He  left  Newport  in  March,  1768,  opened  a  printing  house 
in  Salem  in  April  following,  and  began  the  publication  of 
The  Essex  Gazette  in  August  of  that  year.  In  three  or 
four  years  after  he  settled  in  this  town,  he  admitted  his 
brother,  Ebenezer  Hall,  as  a  partner.  Their  firm  was 
SAMUEL  &  EBENEZER  HALL.  They  remained  in  Salem 
until  1775.  Soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  war,  to 
accommodate  the  state  convention  and  the  army,  they 
removed  to  Cambridge,  and  printed  in  Stoughton  Hall, 
one  of  the  buildings  belonging  to  Harvard  University. 

In  February,  1776,  Ebenezer  Hall  died,  aged  twenty- 

1  A  letter  from  Mr.  E.  M.  MacDonald  of  Halifax,  states  that  John 
Howe  died  in  that  city  in  1835,  aged  82.  For  some  years  previous  to  his 
death  he  held  the  office  of  postmaster  at  Halifax,  and  also  that  of  king's 
printer  for  the  province,  the  latter  office  securing  to  him  all  the  govern 
ment  printing,  including  the  publishing  of  the  official  gazette.  He  also 
for  some  years  had  an  interest  as  partner  with  John  Munro  in  the  Halifax 
Journal,  although  his  name  did  not  appear  in  it. —  M, 

i5 


178          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

seven  years.  He  was  an  amiable  young  man,  and  a  good 
printer.  He  was  born  in  Medford,  and  was  taught  the  art 
of  printing  by  his  brother. 

In  1776,  on  the  evacuation  of  Boston  by  the  British 
troops,  Samuel  Hall  removed  into  that  town,  and  remained 
there  until  1781,  when  he  returned  to  Salem.  He  con 
tinued  in  Salem  until  November,  1785 ;  at  which  time  he 
again  went  to  Boston,  and  opened  a  printing  house,  and  a 
book  and  stationery  store,  in  Cornhill. 

In  April,  1789,  he  began  printing,  in  the  French 
language,  a  newspaper,  entitled  Courier  de  Boston.  This 
was  a  weekly  paper,  printed  on  a  sheet  of  crown  in  quarto, 
for  J.  Nancrede,  a  Frenchman,  who  then  taught  the 
language  of  his  nation  at  the  university,  and  was  after 
ward  a  bookseller  in  Boston  ;  but  his  name  did  not  appear 
in  the  imprint  of  the  paper.  Courier  de  Boston  was  pub 
lished  only  six  months. 

After  Hall  relinquished  the  publication  of  a  newspaper, 
he  printed  a  few  octavo  and  duodecimo  volumes,  a  variety  of 
small  books  with  cuts,  for  children,  and  many  pamphlets, 
particularly  sermons.  He  was  a  correct  printer,  and 
judicious  editor;  industrious,  faithful  to  his  engagements, 
a  respectable  citizen,  and  a  firm  friend  to  his  country.  He 
died  October  30, 1807,  aged  sixty-seven  years. 

EZEKIEL  RUSSELL  has  been  already  mentioned.  He 
removed  from  Boston  to  Salem  in  1774,  and  opened,  in 
Ruck  street,  the  second  printing  house  established  in  that 
place.  In  the  same  year  he  began  the  publication  of  a 
newspaper,  but  did  not  meet  with  success.  He  printed 
ballads  and  small  books.  Having  remained  about  two 
years  in  Salem,  he  removed  to  Danvers,  and  opened  a  print 
ing  house  ;  from  thence,  about  the  year  1778,  he  returned 
with  his  press  to  Boston.  [See  Boston  —  Portsmouth,  <|V'.] 


MASSACHUSETTS.  1 79 

JOHN  ROGERS  was  born  in  Boston  and  served  an  appren 
ticeship  there,  with  William  Macalpine.  He  began  the 
publication  of  a  newspaper  in  Salem,  at  the  printing  honse 
of  Russell,  who  was  interested  in  the  paper ;  but  it  was 
printed  only  a  few  weeks.  After  this  failure  in  the  attempt 
to  establish  a  paper,  I  do  not  recollect  to  have  seen  Rogers's 
name  to  any  publication.  lie  did  not  own  either  press 
or  types. 

MARY  CROUCH  was  the  widow  of  Charles  Crouch,  of 
Charleston,  South  Carolina.  She  left  Charleston  in  1780,  a 
short  time  before  that  city  was  surrendered  to  the  British 
troops,  and  brought  with  her  the  press  and  types  of  her 
late  husband.  She  opened  a  printing  house  in  Salem,  near 
the  east  church,  where  she  published  a  newspaper  for  a 
short  time.  When  she  sold  her  press,  &c.,  she  removed  to 
Providence,  Rhode  Island,  the  place  of  her  nativity,  and 
there  resided. 

NEWBURYPORT. 

At  the  request  of  several  gentlemen,  particularly  the 
late  Rev.  Jonathan  Parsons,  a  press  was  first  established 
in  that  town,  in  1773,  by  ISAIAH  THOMAS.  He  opened  a 
printing  house  in  King  street,  Newburyport,  opposite  to 
the  Presbyterian  church.  The  town  was  settled  at  an 
early  period.  In  point  of  magnitude  it  held  the  third 
rank,  and  it  was  the  fourth  where  the  press  was 
established,  in  the  colony.  Thomas  took  as  a  partner 
Henry  Walter  Tinges.  The  firm  was  THOMAS  &  TINGES. 
Thomas  continued  his  business  in  Boston,  and  Tinges  had 
the  principal  management  of  the  concerns  at  Newburyport. 
They  there  printed  a  newspaper,  and  in  that  work  the 
press  was  principally  employed.  Before  the  close  of  a 
year,  Thomas  sold  the  printing  materials  to  Ezra  Lunt,  the 
proprietor  of  a  stage,  who  was  unacquainted  with  printing ; 


180          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

but  he  took  Tinges  as  a  partner,  and  the  firm  of  this  com 
pany  was  LUNT  &  TINGES.  They  continued  their  connection 
until  the  country  became  involved  in  the  revolutionary 
war ;  soon  after  which  Lunt  transferred  the  press  and  his 
concern  in  printing  to  John  Mycall.  Tinges  now  became 
the  partner  of  Mycall. 

The  partnership  of  MYCALL  &  TINGES  ended  in  six 
months.  The  business  was  then  conducted  by  Mycall, 
who  soon  became  so  well  acquainted  with  it,  as  to  carry  it 
on,  and  continue  it  on  a  respectable  footing,  for  about 
twenty  years ;  when  he  quitted  printing,  and  retired  to  a 
farm  at  Harvard,  in  the  county  of  Worcester,  from  whence 
he  removed  to  Cambridgeport.1 

Tinges  was  born  in  Boston,  was  of  Dutch  parentage, 
and  served  part  of  his  apprenticeship  with  Fleming,  and 
the  residue  with  Thomas.  He  went  from  Newburyport 
to  Baltimore,  and  from  thence  to  sea,  but  never  returned. 

Lunt  joined  the  American  army,  and  finally  removed  to 
Marietta.  He  was  a  native  of  Newburyport. 

Mycall  was  not  brought  up  to  printing,  but  he  was  a 
man  of  great  ingenuity.  He  was  born  at  Worcester,  in 
England ;  and  was  a  schoolmaster  at  Amesbury  at  the 
time  he  purchased  of  Lunt.  Some  years  after  he  began 
printing  his  printing  house  and  all  his  printing  materials 
were  consumed  by  fire.  Those  materials  were  soon 
replaced  by  a  veiy  valuable  printing  apparatus. 

WORCESTER. 

This  was  the  fifth  town  in  Massachusetts  in  which  the 
press  was  established.  In  1774,  a  number  of  gentlemen 
in  the  county  of  Worcester,  zealously  engaged  in  the  cause 
of  the  country,  were,  from  the  then  appearance  of  public 
aifairs,  desirous  to  have  a  press  established  in  Worcester, 


1  Thomas  Mycall  died  about  the  year  182G.     These  three  printers  are 
noticed  by  Buckingham  in  his  Reminiscences^  T,  280-808. —  37". 


MASSACHUSETTS.  181 

the  shire  town  of  the  county.  In  December  of  that  year, 
they  applied  to  a  printer  in  Boston,  who  engaged  to  open 
a  printing  house,  and  to  publish  a  newspaper  there,  in  the 
course  of  the  ensuing  spring. 

ISAIAH  THOMAS,  in  consequence  of  an  agreement  with 
the  gentlemen  as  above  related,  to  send  a  press,  with  a 
suitable  person  to  manage  the  concerns  of  it,  to  this  town, 
in  February,  1775,  issued  a  proposal  for  publishing  a 
newspaper,  to  be  entitled  The  Worcester  Gazette  ;  or,  Ame 
rican  Oracle  of  Liberty.  The  war  commencing  sooner  than 
was  expected,  he  was  obliged  to  leave  Boston,  and  came  him 
self  to  Worcester,  opened  a  printing  house,  and  on  the  3d 
of  May,  1775,  executed  the  first  printing  done  in  the  town. 

Thomas  remained  at  Worcester  until  1776,  when  he  let 
a  part  of  his  printing  apparatus,  and  his  newspaper,  to 
two  gentlemen  of  the  bar,  "William  Stearns  and  Daniel 
Bigelow,  and  with  the  other  part  removed  to  Salem,  with 
an  intention  to  commence  business  in  that  place ;  but 
many  obstructions  to  the  plan  arising  in  consequence  of 
the  war,  he  sold  the  printing  materials  which  he  carried 
to  that  town,  and,  in  1778,  returned  to  Worcester,  took 
into  possession  the  press  which  he  had  left  there,  and 
resumed  the  publication  of  the  Spy. 

He  received  his  types  worn  down,  and  found  paper, 
wretchedly  as  it  was  then  manufactured,  difficult  to  be 
obtained ;  but,  in  a  few  months,  he  was  fortunate  enough 
to  purchase  some  new  types  which  were  taken  in  a  vessel 
from  London.  After  some  time  he  also  procured  paper 
which  was  superior  in  quality  to  what  was  generally 
manufactured  at  that  period  ;  and  thus  he  was  enabled  to 
keep  his  printing  business  alive  whilst  the  war  continued. 

During  two  or  three  years  he  was  concerned  with  Joseph 
Trumbull  in  a  medicinal  store.  On  the  establishment  of 
peace,  an  intercourse  was  opened  with  Europe,  and  he 


182          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

procured  a  liberal  supply  of  new  printing  materials,  engaged 
in  book  printing,  opened  a  bookstore,  and  united  the  two 
branches  of  printing  and  bookselling. 

In  September,  1788,  he  recommenced  printing  in  Bos 
ton,  and  at  the  same  time  opened  a  bookstore  there.  At 
first,  the  business  was  managed  by  three  partners,  under 
the  firm  of  I.  THOMAS  &  Co. ;  but  one  of  the  partners  leav 
ing  the  company,  Thomas  formed  a  copartnership  with 
the  other,  Ebenezer  T.  Andrews,  who  had  served  his 
apprenticeship  with  him,  and  the  house  took  the  firm  of 
THOMAS  &  ANDREWS. 

In  1793,  he  set  up  a  press  and  opened  a  bookstore  at 
"Walpole,  !N"cw  Hampshire,  where  he  began  the  publication 
of  a  newspaper  entitled  The  Farmer's  Museum.1 

In  1794,  he  opened  another  printing  house  and  a  book 
store  at  Brookfield,  Massachusetts.  All  these  concerns 
were  managed  by  partners,  and  distinct  from  his  business 
in  Worcester ;  where  he  continued  to  reside,  and  to  carry 
on  printing  and  bookselling  on  his  sole  account.  At 
Worcester,  he  also  erected  a  paper  mill,  and  set  up  a 
bindery;  and  was  thus  enabled  to  go  through  the  whole 
process  of  manufacturing  books. 

In  1794,  he  and  his  partner  at  Boston  extended  a  branch 
of  their  bookselling  business  to  Baltimore.  The  house 

O 

there  established  was  known  as  the  firm  of  THOMAS, 
ANDREWS  £  BUTLER;  and,  in  1796,  they  established 
another  branch  of  their  business  at  Albany,  under  the  firm 
of  THOMAS,  ANDREWS  &  PENNIMAN,  and  there  opened  a 
printing  house  and  bookstore. 

The  books  printed  by  him  at  Worcester,  and  by  him 
and  his  partners  in  other  places,  form  a  very  considerable 
catalogue.  At  one  time  they  had  sixteen  presses  in  use; 

1  It  was  finally  abandoned,  after  several  suspensions  and  revivals,  in 
October,  1810.  See  Buckingham's  Reminiscences,  vol.  n,  p.  174,  for  an  ac 
count  of  its  career. —  M. 


MASSACHUSETTS.  183 

seven  of  them  at  his  printing  house  in  Worcester,  and  five 
at  the  company's  printing  house  in  Boston.  They  printed 
three  newspapers  in  the  country,  and  a  magazine  in 
Boston ;  and  they  had  five  bookstores  in  Massachusetts, 
one  in  New  Hampshire,  one  at  Albany,  and  one  at  Balti 
more. 

Among  the  books  which  issued  from  Thomas's  press  at 
Worcester,  were,  in  1791,  an  edition  of  the  Bible,  in  folio, 
with  copperplates,  and,  an  edition,  in  royal  quarto,  with 
a  concordance ;  in  1793,  a  large  edition  of  the  Bible  in 
octavo ;  and,  in  1797,  the  Bible  in  duodecimo.  Of  this  last 
size,  several  editions  were  printed,  as  the  types,  complete 
for  the  wTork,  were  kept  standing.  In  1802,  he  printed  a 
second  edition  of  the  octavo  Bible. 

Among  the  books  printed  by  the  company  in  Boston, 
were,  The  Massachusetts  Magazine,  published  monthly,  in 
numbers,  for  five  years,  constituting  five  octavo  volumes  ; 
five  editions  of  The  Universal  Geography,  in  two  volumes 
octavo,  and  several  other  heavy  works ;  also,  the  Bible  in 
12mo,  numerous  editions ;  the  types  for  which  were  re 
moved  from  Worcester  to  Boston. 

In  1802,  Thomas  resigned  the  printing  at  Worcester  to 
his  son  Isaiah  Thomas,  jun.,  and  soon  after,  transferred  to 
him  the  management  of  the  Massachusetts  Spy.  His  son 
continued  the  publication  of  that  paper,  and  carried  on 
printing  and  bookselling. 

[See  Boston — Newburyport — >  Hist,  of  Newspapers,  in 
vol.  ii.] 


184          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


CONNECTICUT. 

There  was  no  press  in  tins  colony  until  1709;  and,  I 
believe,  not  more  than  four  printing  houses  in  it  before 
1775. 

NEW  LONDON. 

The  first  printing  clone  in  Connecticut  was  in  that  town  ; 
forty-five  years  before  a  press  was  established  elsewhere 
in  the  colony.1 

THOMAS  SHORT  was  the  first  who  printed  in  Connecticut. 
He  set  up  his  press  in  the  town  of  New  London  in  1709. 2  He 
was  recommended  by  Bartholomew  Green,  who  at  that 
time  printed  in  Boston,  and  from  whom  he,  probably, 
learned  the  art  of  printing. 

In  the  year  1710,3  he  printed  an  original  work,  well 
known  in  New  England,  by  the  title  of  The  Saybrook  Plat 
form  of  Church  Discipline.  This  is  said  to  be  the  first  book 
printed  in  the  colony.  After  the  Platform  he  printed  a 
number  of  sermons,  and  sundry  pamphlets  on  religious 


1 "  The  state  of  the  case  is  thus :  Nov.  27th,  1707,  Gov.  Winthrop  died. 
Dec.  7th,  following,  the  general  court  was  called  together,  and  chose  Gov. 
Saltonstall.  He,  minding  to  have  the  government  furnished  with  a 
printer,  moved  to  the  assembly  to  have  one  sent  for."  "  Timothy  Green 
was  first  applied  to,  but  declined  the  invitation.  Afterwards  an  engage 
ment  was  made  with  Mr.  Short." — Green's  Memorial,  1745,  in  Conn. 
Archives  (Finance,  iii,  282).— T. 

a  In  October,  1708,  the  general  court  accepted  Mr.  Short's  proposition  to 
print  the  Public  Acts  of  the  Colony  for  four  years,  commencing  May,  1709, 
and  "  to  give  a  copy  for  every  Town  or  place  in  the  Colony  that  hath  a 
Clerk  or  Register,"  for  £50  a  year ;  and  to  print  all  proclamations,  etc.,  with 
"  all  other  public  business."  It  was  provided,  however,  that "  he  shall  set 
up  a  printing  press  in  this  Colony." — Col.  Ttcc.  of  Conn.,  \,  69. —  T. 

3  Although  the  title  page  lias  the  date  1710,  the  work  was  not  completed 
before  1711,  and  the  greater  part,  if  not  the  whole,  of  the  edition  remained 
in  UK;  hands  of  Mr.  Short's  widow  until  1714. — Conn.  Council  Record*, 
1714,  p.  30.—  T. 


CONNECTICUT.  185 

subjects,  and  was  employed  by  the  governor  and  company 
to  do  the  work  for  the  colony.  He  died  at  New  London, 
three  or  four  years  after  his  settlement  there.1 

TIMOTHY  GTREEX  has  already  been  taken  notice  of,  as 
the  son  of  Samuel  Green  junior,  of  Boston,  and  grandson 
of  Samuel  Green  senior,  of  Cambridge.  He  conducted  a 
press  in  Boston  thirteen  years.  Receiving  an  invitation 
from  the  council  and  assembly  of  Connecticut  colony,2  in 
the  year  1714  he  removed  to  New  London,  and  was  ap 
pointed  printer  to  the  governor  and  company,  on  a  salary 
of  fifty  pounds  per  annum.3  It  was  stipulated  that  for  this 
sum  he  should  print  the  election  sermons,  proclamations, 
and  the  laws  which  should  be  enacted  at  the  several  sessions 
of  the  assembly. 

Besides  the  work  of  government,  Green  printed  a  number 
of  pamphlets  on  religious  subjects,  particularly  sermons. 
It  has  been  said  of  him,  that  whenever  he  heard  a  sermon 
which  he  highly  approved,  he  would  solicit  a  copy  from  the 
author,  and  print  it  for  his  own  sales.  This  honest  zeal  in 
the  cause  of  religion  often  proved  injurious  to  his  interest. 
Large  quantities  of  these  sermons  lay  on  hand  as  dead 
stock ;  and,  after  his  decease,  they  were  put  into  baskets, 
appraised  by  the  bushel,  and  sold  under  the  value  of  com 
mon  waste  paper. 


Caulkins  records,  that  a  small  headstone  in  the  burial  ground  at 
New  London  bears  this  inscription :  "  Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Thomas 
Short,  who  deceased  Sept.  27th,  1712,  in  the  30th  year  of  his  age."  Two 
children  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Short  are  on  record  in  New  London — 
Catharine  born  1709,  and  Charles,  1711.  His  widow  married  Solomon 
Coit.Aug.  8,  1714—  J/. 

2  He  had  received  a  similar  invitation  before  the  engagement  of  Mr. 
Short  in  1708.     In  a  memorial  to  the  general  court   in  1738,  he  says  : 
"  Thirty  years  since,  this  Government   sent   to  me  to  come  to  be  their 
printer.     I  then  answered  the  gentlemen  that  treated  with  me,  that  I  was  not 
willing  to  leave  a  certainty  for  an  uncertainty.     Mr.    Short  then  came  up, 
and  died  here." — Conn.  Archives  (Finance  in,  1,  2). — T. 

3  Trumbuirs  History  of  Connecticut.. 

10 


186  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

He  printed  a  revised  edition  of  the  laws,  entitled,  Acts 
and  Laws  of  his  Majesties  Colony  of  Connecticut  in  New  Eng 
land.  Imprint — "  New-London,  Reprinted  by  Timothy 
Green,  Printer  to  his  Honour  the  Governour  and  Coun 
cil,  1715."  He  published,  also,  an  edition  of  the  laws 
from  1715  to  1750.  As  early  as  1727,  he  printed  Robert 
Treat's  Almanack ;  the  celestial  signs  for  which  were 
rudely  cut  on  em  quadrates,  and  raised  to  the  height  of 
the  letter.  Some  years  before  his  death  he  resigned  his 
printing  house  and  business  to  his  son  Timothy,  who  at 
the  time  was  a  printer  in  Boston,  and  the  partner  of 
Samuel  Kneeland. 

Green  was  a  deacon  of  the  church  in  New  London ; 
and  as  a  Christian  was  held  in  high  estimation.  His 
piety  was  free  from  the  gloominess  and  asperity  of  the 
bigot,  and  he  was  benevolent  in  his  heart,  and  virtuous  in 
his  life.  He  was  of  a  very  facetious  disposition,  and  many 
of  his  anecdotes  are  handed  down  to  the  present  time. 

He  died  May  5,  1757,1  aged  seventy-eight  years.  He 
left  six  sons,  and  one  daughter  who  died  in  East  Haddam 
in  1808.  Three  of  his  sons  were  printers  ;  the  eldest,  who 
succeeded  him ;  the  second  settled  at  Annapolis,  in  Mary 
land  ;  and  the  third  who  was  connected  with  his  father, 
but  died  before  him.  Another  of  his  sons  by  the  name  of 
Thomas,  by  trade  a  pewterer,  settled  in  Boston,  where  he 
died  leaving  several  children. 

SAMUEL  GREEN,  third  son  of  Timothy  Green,  was  born  in 
Boston  two  years  before  his  father  left  that  town.  He  was 
taught  printing  by  his  father,  and  was  for  several  years  in 
partnership  with  him.  He  died  in  May, 1752,  at  forty  years 
of  age,  leaving  a  family  of  nine  children,  three  of  them  sons, 
who  were  printers,  and  of  whom  due  notice  will  be  taken 
in  course. 


1 1758,  Caulkins's  Hint.  New-Loruton,  p.  480,  2cl  edition.—  J/. 


CONNECTICUT.  187 

TIMOTHY  GKEEN  JUNIOR,  was  born  in  Boston,  and  came  to 
New  London  with  his  father,  who  instructed  him  in  the  art. 
He  began  printing  in  Boston,1  and  was  for  twenty-five 
years  the  partner  of  Samuel  Kneeland,  as  has  been  related. 
On  the  death  of  his  brother  Samuel,  his  father  being  aged, 
and  unable  to  manage  the  concerns  of  the  printing  house, 
he  closed  his  partnership  with  Kneeland,  and,  in  compli 
ance  with  his  father's  request,  removed  to  !N"ew  London. 
The  whole  business  was  resigned  to  him.  He  succeeded 
his  father  as  printer  of  the  colony;  and,  at  that  time,  there 
was  not  another  printing  house  in  Connecticut. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  1758,  he  published  a  newspaper. 
This  was  the  second  establishment  of  the  kind  in  the 
colony. 

After  a  life  of  industry,  he  died  October  3,2 1763,  aged 
sixty  years.  He  was  amiable  in  his  manners,  and  much 
esteemed  by  his  friends  and  acquaintances.  [See  Boston 
Newspapers."] 

TIMOTHY  GREEN,  3d,  was  the  son  of  Samuel  Green,  and 
nephew  to  the  last  mentioned  Timothy.  He  was  born  in 
New  London,  and  was  taught  the  art  by  his  uncle,  to 
whose  business  he  succeeded.  The  newspaper  begun  by 
his  uncle  was  discontinued,  and  he  established  another, 
afterwards  published  by  his  son.  In  1773,  he  set  up  a 
press  in  Norwich,  in  company  with  his  brother-in-law, 
which  was  afterwards  removed  to  Vermont. 


1  Thomas  had  "  seen  no  printing  with  his  name  before  172G."  In  1724, 
Cotton  Mather's  Memoirs  of  Remarkable*  in  the  Life  of  Dr.  Increase  Mather 
was  printed  in  Boston,  in  the  name  of  Bartholomew  Green.  In  an  "  Ad 
vertisement"  of  errata,  at  the  end  of  the  volume,  Mather  says:  "My 
young  printer,  the  nephew  of  him  whose  name  stands  in  the  title  page, 
tho'  this  be  the  first  book  that  has  entirely  passed  thro1  his  hand,  has  bid 
pretty  fair  towards  the  exactness  of  that  honest  and  careful  Christian  " 
[Wechsel,  the  "  faultless  printer"  of  Paris.]  The  "  young  printer"  was 
Timothy  Jr.,  the  grand-nephew  of  Bartholomew." — T. 

8  August  3,  Caulkins's  History  of  New  London,  p.  655,  2d  ed. —  M. 


188          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Green  was  printer  to  the  colony.  In  his  profession,  and 
as  a  citizen,  he  was  respectable  ;  a  firm  and  honest  whig, 
he  was  attached  to  the  federal  constitution  of  the  United 
States.  He  died  on  the  10th  of  March,  1796,  aged  fifty- 
nine  years.  He  had  eleven  children,  eight  sons  and  three 
daughters.  Two  sons  were  printers,  one  of  whom,  Samuel, 
succeeded  his  father,  the  other  settled  at  Fredericksburg, 
Virginia,  and,  in  1787,  first  printed  The  Virginia  Herald. 
Two  of  his  sons,  Thomas  and  John,  were  booksellers  and 
binders;  another  son,  named  William,  was  an  Episcopal 
clergyman. 

NEW  HAVEN. 

The  second  printing  house,  established  in  Connecticut, 
was  in  this  town. 

JAMES  PARKER  &  COMPANY.  At  the  commencement  of 
the  war  between  England  and  France,  in  1754,  Benjamin 
Franklin  and  "William  Hunter  were  joint  deputy  postmas 
ters  general  for  America.  As  the  principal  seat  of  the 
war  with  France,  in  this  country,  was  to  the  northward, 
the  establishment  of  a  post  office  in  New  Haven  became 
an  object  of  some  consequence.  James  Parker,  in  1754, 
obtained  from  Franklin  the  first  appointment  of  post 
master  in  that  place,  associated  with  John  Holt,  who  had 
been  unfortunate  in  his  commercial  business,  and  was 
brother-in-law  to  Hunter. 

Having  secured  the  post  office,  Parker,  who  was  then 
the  principal  printer  at  New  York,  by  the  advice  of  Frank 
lin  established  a  press  in  New  Haven  at  the  close  of  the 
year  1754.  The  first  work  from  his  press  was  the  laws  of 
Yale  College,  in  Latin.  On  the  first  of  January,  1755,  he 
published  a  newspaper. 

Holt  directed  the  concerns  of  the  printing  house  and 
post  office  in  behalf  of  James  Parker  &  Co.  Parker 


CONNECTICUT.  189 

remained  at  New  York.  Post  riders  were  established  for 
the  army,  and  considerable  business  was  done  at  the  post 
office  and  printing  house  during  the  war. 

Parker  had  a  partner,  named  Weyman,  in  New  York, 
who  managed  their  affairs  in  that  city  until  the  year  1759, 
when  the  partnership  was  dissolved.  This  event  made  it 
necessary  that  a  new  arrangement  should  take  place. 
Holt  went  to  New  York  in  1760,  took  the  direction  of  Par 
ker's  printing  house  in  that  city,  and  conducted  its  concerns. 
The  press  and  post  office  in  New  Haven  were  left  to  the 
agency  of  Thomas  Green  ;  Parker  &  Co.  still  remaining 
proprietors,  and  continuing  their  firm  on  the  Gazette  till 
1764,  when  they  resigned  the  business  to  Benjamin  Mecom. 

BENJAMIN  MECOM,  who  has  been  mentioned  as  a  printer, 
first  at  Antigua,  and  afterward  in  Boston,  removed  to 
New  Haven  in  1764,  and  succeeded  Parker  &  Co.  Frank 
lin  appointed  him  postmaster.  He  revived  the  Gazette 
which  had  been  discontinued,  but  did  very  little  other 
printing.  He  remained  in  that  city  until  1767,  and  then 
removed  to  Philadelphia.  [See  Philadelphia,  etc.~\ 

SAMUEL  GREEN  was  the  third  son  of  Samuel  Green,  and 
grandson  of  the  first  Timothy  Green,  both  printers  in 
New  London,  where  he  was  born.  He  was  taught  printing 
by  his  uncle  Timothy,  who  succeeded  his  father  and  grand 
father,  in  New  London  ;  and  was  the  successor  of  Mecom, 
at  New  Haven,  in  1767.  He  was  joined  by  his  brother 
Thomas,  from  Hartford,  and  they  became  partners,  under 
the  firm  of  THOMAS  &  SAMUEL  GREEN.  The  newspaper, 
which  was  begun  by  Parker  &  Co.,  and  continued  by 
Mecom,  had  again  been  discontinued.  These  brothers 
established  another.  Their  partnership  remained  until 
dissolved  by  the  death  of  Samuel,  one  of  the  parties,  in 
February,  1799,  aged  fifty-six  years. 


190          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

After  the  death  of  Samuel,  the  son  of  Thomas  became 
a  partner  with  his  father,  under  the  firm  of  THOMAS  GREEN 
&  SON.  This  son  was  also  named  Thomas.  The  establish 
ment  continued  ten  years. 

In  1809,  a  nephew  of  Richard  Draper,  Thomas  Collier, 
who  had  been  a  printer  at  Litchfield,  was  connected  with 
Green  and  his  son ;  but  the  same  year  Thomas  Green  the 
father  retired  from  business.  On  this  occasion  he  pub 
lished  a  very  affectionate  and  pathetic  address  to  the  public. 
He  died  May,  1812,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 

The  newspaper  established  by  Thomas  and  Samuel 
Green  was  continued  by  Eli  Hudson. 

HARTFORD. 

Printing  was  first  introduced  into  Hartford,  in  the  year 
1764. 

THOMAS  GREEN,  who  has  been  just  mentioned  as  the 
partner  of  Samuel  Green  in  New  Haven,  was  born  at  New 
London.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of  Samuel  Green,  printer, 
in  that  place.  His  father  dying,  during  the  early  part  of 
his  life  he  was  instructed  in  printing  by  his  uncle.  Green 
first  commenced  printing  in  Hartford,  in  1764.  Until  that 
time  New  London  and  New  Haven  were  the  only  places 
in  the  colony  in  which  presses  had  been  established.  He 
began  the  publication  of  a  newspaper,  which  was  the  third 
printed  in  Connecticut ;  he  remained  there  till  1767,  when 
he  removed  to  New  Haven,  and  went  into  a  partnership 
with  his  brother.  Previous  to  his  leaving  Hartford,  he 
formed  a  connection  with  Ebenczer  Watson,  and  con 
ducted  the  press  two  years  under  the  firm  of  GREEN  & 
WATSON. 

Thomas  Green  was  a  great-great-grandson  of  Samuel 
Green,  who  printed  at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts.  He  died 
in  1812,  aged  78. 


CONNECTICUT.  191 

Frederick  Green,  printer  of  the  Maryland  Gazette,  at 
Annapolis,  was  from  the  same  stock,  and  also  a  great-great- 
grandson  of  the  same  Samuel  Green. 

Samuel  Green,  printer  of  the  Connecticut  Gazette  at  New 
London,  and  Thomas  Green  junior,  one  of  the  publishers 
of  the  Connecticut  Journal,  at  New  Haven,  were  of  the  sixth 
generation  of  the  name  of  Green,  who  had  been  printers 
in  this  country,  being  great-great-great-grandsons  of 
Samuel  Green  of  Cambridge. 

EBENEZER  WATSON  succeeded  Thomas  Green,  in  Hart 
ford,  from  whom  he  learned  printing.  He  continued  the 
newspaper  established  by  Green.  Publishing  this  paper 
was  his  principal  employment,  and  he  became  its  pro 
prietor  at  the  close  of  the  year  1769.  It  does  not  appear 
that  Watson  was  a  thoroughly  taught  printer,  though  he 
practised  the  art  ten  years.  He  died  September  16,  1777, 
aged  thirty-three  years.  He  was  remarkable  for  his  hu 
manity,  and  anxious  for  the  safety  of  his  country,  then 
contending  for  its  independence,  devoted  his  press  to  her 
cause.  He  was  an  ensign  in  the  governor's  company  of 
cadets.  This  company  attended  his  funeral,  and  he  was 
buried  with  military  honors. 

Watson's  widow  continued  the  Connecticut  Courant  in 
company  with  George  Goodwin,  until  she  married  Bar- 
zillai  Hudson.  Goodwin  served  his  apprenticeship  with 
Watson,  and  was  a  correct  printer.  Hudson  was  not  bred 
a  printer,  but  came  into  the  business  by  marrying  the 
widow  of  Watson.  Goodwin  became  the  partner  of 
Hudson,  and  they  were  very  respectable  printers  under 
the  firm  of  HUDSON  &  GOODWIN. 


192  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


NORWICH. 

This  is  the  fourth  town  in  Connecticut  where  a  press 
was  established  before  the  revolution.  Two  printing 
houses  were  opened  in  the  same  year. 

GREEN  &  SPOONER.  Timothy  Green  the  third,  printed  in 
New  London.  Judah  Paddock  Spooner  was  his  brother- 
in-law,  and  served  his  apprenticeship  with  him. 

Green  took  Spooner  into  partnership  and  furnished  press 
and  types ;  and  they  opened  a  printing  house  in  Norwich 
in  1773.  Spooner,  by  agreement,  managed  the  concerns 
of  the  firm.  Their  business  not  answering  their  expecta 
tions,  after  the  trial  of  a  few  years,  they  removed  their 
press  to  Westminster  in  Vermont.1 

ROBERTSONS  &  TRUMBULL.  Alexander  and  James  Robert 
son  were  sons  of  a  respectable  printer  in  Scotland.  I  have 
mentioned  them  as  at  Albany,  where  they  began  printing 
and  remained  for  several  years.  John  Trumbull  was, 
I  believe,  born  in  Charlestown,  Massachusetts;  he  served 
an  apprenticeship  with  Samuel  Kneeland  in  Boston. 
Trumbull  entered  into  partnership  with  the  Robertsons, 
and  in  1773  they  opened  a  second  printing  house  in  Nor 
wich,  and  soon  after  published  a  newspaper.  This  con 
nection  was  not  dissolved  until  after  the  British  troops  took 
possession  of  the  city  of  New  York  in  1776.  The  Robert 
sons  were  royalists;  and,  soon  after  that  event,  they  left 
Norwich,  and  went  to  New  York. 

Trumbull  remained  at  Norwich,  and  continued  printing. 
He  differed  in  his  politics  with  his  partners,  one  of  whom, 
James,  had  been  in  the  political  school  of  Mem  &  Fleming 
of  Boston,  for  whom  he  worked  two  or  three  years  as  a 

Spooner  established  himself  first  tit  Hanover,  in  1778,  and  removed  to 
Westminster  in  1 7M1 .    See  Jlwtory  of  Norwich,  3G4,  2d  ed.—  M. 


CONNECTICUT.  193 

journeyman ;  but,  politics  apart,  James  was  a  worthy  man 
and  a  very  good  printer.  Of  Alexander  I  had  no  know 
ledge  ;  but  I  have  been  informed  that  he  was,  unfortunately, 
deprived  of  the  use  of  his  limbs,  and  incapacitated  for 
labor.  He  was,  however,  intelligent,  well  educated,  and 
possessed  some  abilities  as  a  writer. 

Trumbull  was  an  honest,  well  meaning  man,  and  attached 
to  his  country.  His  printing  was  chiefly  confined  to  his 
newspaper,  and  small  articles  with  which  he  supplied 
country  chapmen.  He  died  in  August,  1802,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-two  years. 

Alexander  and  James  Robertson  remained  in  "New  York 
till  1783,  when  the  royal  army  and  the  refugees  quitted  the 
city.  The  Eobertsons  went  to  Shelburne,  in  Nova  Scotia, 
where  they  published  a  newspaper.  Alexander  died  in 
Shelburne,  in  December,  1784.  James  returned  to  Scot 
land,  his  native  country,  and  began  business  as  a  printer 
and  bookseller  in  Edinburgh. l 


1  Miss  Caulkins,  in  her  History  of  Norwich  has  additional  facts  relating  to 
these  partners.  She  says  of  Trumbull :  "  He  was  remarkable  for  his  genial 
humor,  and  always  had  a  merry  turn  or  witty  remark  at  hand." — II. 


17 


194          HISTORY  OF  FEINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


RHODE  ISLAND. 

Printing  was  introduced  into  Connecticut  about  twenty- 
two  years  before  a  press  was  established  in  Rhode  Island. 
There  were  but  three  printing  houses  in  the  colony  before 
1775,  and  only  two  newspapers. 

G-REGORY  DEXTER,  a  printer  in  London,  was  a  corre 
spondent  of  the  celebrated  Roger  Williams  the  founder  of 
Providence.  Dexter  printed,  in  England,  in  1643,  Wil- 
liams's  Key  into  the  Language  of  America,  and  the  first  Alma 
nack  for  Rhode  Island  and  Providence  Plantations  in  New  Eng 
land.  Soon  after,  Dexter  quitted  printing,  left  his  native 
country,  and  joined  Williams  in  Providence,  where  he  be 
came  a  distinguished  character  in  the  colony.  He  was  one 
of  the  parties  named  in  the  charter,  and  for  a  number  of 
years  one  of  the  assistants  under  the  authority  granted  by 
that  charter.  He  was  one  of  the  first  town  clerks,  and 
wrote  an  uncommonly  good  hand.  He  possessed  hand 
some  talents,  and  had  been  well  educated.  From  him  de 
scended  the  respectable  family  of  the  Dexters  in  Rhode 
Island. 

It  is  said  that  after  Samuel  Green  began  printing  at 
Cambridge,  Dexter  went  there,  annually,  for  several  years, 
to  assist  him  in  printing  an  Almanac.  l 

NEWPORT. 

The  press  was  first  established  in  this  town  in  the  year 
1732 ;  and  was  the  only  one  in  the  colony  till  1762. 

JAMES  FRANKLIN.  It  has  been  stated  that  Franklin  was 
the  publisher  of  The  New-England  Courant.  Soon  after 


Manuscript  papers  of  President  Stiles,  of  New  Haven. 


RHODE  ISLAND.  195 

that  paper  was  discontinued  he  removed  from  Boston  with 
his  printing  materials  to  Newport,  and  there  set  up  his 
press  in  a  room  "  under  the  Town  School- House."  He  did 
some  printing  for  government,  published  a  newspaper  a 
few  months,  and  an  Almanac  annually. 

He  was  the  first  who  printed  in  Ehode  Island ;  but  only 
published  a  few  pamphlets,  and  other  small  articles,  be 
side  those  mentioned  above.  He  died  in  February,  1735. 
[Sec  Boston.] 

ANNE  FRANKLIN,  the  widow  of  James  Franklin,  suc 
ceeded  her  husband.  She  printed  for  the  colony,  supplied 
blanks  for  the  public  offices,  and  published  pamphlets,  &c. 
In  1745,  she  printed  for  government  an  edition  of  the  laws, 
containing  three  hundred  and  forty  pages  folio.  She  was 
aided  in  her  printing  by  her  two  daughters,  and  afterward 
by  her  son  when  he  attained  to  a  competent  age.  Her 
daughters  wrere  correct  and  quick  compositors  at  case ;  and 
were  instructed  by  their  father  whom  they  assisted.  A 
gentleman  who  was  acquainted  with  Anne  Franklin  and 
her  family,  informed  me  that  he  had  often  seen  her  daugh 
ters  at  work  in  the  printing  house,  and  that  they  were 
sensible  and  amiable  women. 

JAMES  FRANKLIN  JUNIOR,  the  son  of  James  and  Anne 
Franklin,  was  born  in  Newport :  and,  as  soon  as  he  was  of 
age,  became  the  partner  of  his  mother,  and  conducted  their 
concerns  in  his  own  name.  He  began  printing  about  the 
year  1754,  published  The  Mercury  in  1758,  and  died  August 
22,  1762.  He  possessed  integrity  and  handsome  talents, 
which  endeared  him  to  very  respectable  associates. 

After  his  death,  his  mother  resumed  the  business ;  but 
soon  resigned  the  management  of  it  to  Samuel  Hall,  with 
whom  she  formed  a  partnership  under  the  firm  name  of 


196  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

FRANKLIN  &IIALL.1  This  firm  was  of  short  duration,  and 
was  dissolved  by  the  death  of  Anne  Franklin,  April  19, 
1763,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight.  They  printed  an  edition 
of  the  laws  in  folio,  which  was  completed  about  the  time 
that  Anne  Franklin  died. 

SAMUEL  HALL.  After  the  death  of  his  partner,  Hall 
printed  in  his  own  name.  An  account  of  him  has  already 
been  given  among  the  printers  of  Massachusetts.  He  re 
mained  at  Newport  five  years,  continued  the  publication  of 
the  Mercury,  and  found  considerable  employment  for  his 
press. 

In  March,  1768,  he  resigned  the  printing  house  in  New 
port  to  Solomon  Southwick,  and  removed  to  Salem,  Mas 
sachusetts.  [See  Salem.'] 

SOLOMON  SOUTHWICK  was  born  in  Newport,  but  not  brought 
up  to  the  business  of  printing.  He  was  the  son  of  a  fisher 
man  ;  and,  when  a  lad,  assisted  his  father  in  selling  fish  in 
the  market  place.  The  attention  he  paid  to  that  employ 
ment,  the  comeliness  of  his  person,  and  the  evidences  he 
gave  of  a  sprightly  genius,  attracted  the  notice  of  the 
worthy  Henry  Collins,  who  at  that  time  was  said  to  be  the 
most  wealthy  citizen  in  Newport,  one  of  the  first  mercan 
tile  characters  in  New  England,  and  greatly  distinguished 
in  the  colony  of  Rhode  Island  for  philanthropy  and  benevo 
lence.  Mr.  Collins  took  a  number  of  illiterate  boys,  whose 
parents  were  poor,  under  his  patronage,  and  gave  each  an 
education  suited  to  his  capacity ;  several  of  whom  became 
men  distinguished  in  the  learned  professions.  Among  the 
objects  of  his  care  and  liberality  was  young  Southwick, 
who  was  placed  at  the  academy  in  Philadelphia,  and  there 


1  Anne  Franklin's  brother-in-law,  the  celebrated  Benjamin  Franklin, 
who  then  printed  in  Philadelphia,  had,  at  that  time,  a  partner  by  the 
name  of  Hall ;  and  the  firm  in  Philadelphia  was  likewise  Franklin  &  Hall. 


RHODE  ISLAND.  197 

provided  for  till  he  had  completed  his  studies.  Mr.  Collins 
then  established  him  as  a  merchant,  with  a  partner  by  the 
name  of  Clarke. 

Southwick  and  Clarke  did  business  on  an  extensive  scale. 
They  built  several  vessels  and  were  engaged  in  trade  to 
London  and  elsewhere ;  but  eventually  they  became  bank 
rupts,  and  their  partnership  was  dissolved. 

After  this  misfortune,  South  wick  married  a  daughter  of 
Colonel  John  Gardner,  who  for  several  years  had  been 
governor  of  the  colony,  and  by  this  marriage  he  became 
possessed  of  a  handsome  estate. 

About  this  time  Samuel  Hall,  who  had  a  desire  to  leave 
Newport  and  remove  to  Salem,  offered  his  printing  esta 
blishment  for  sale.  Southwick  became  the  purchaser  in 
March,  1768,  and  succeeded  to  the  business  of  Hall.  He 
continued  the  publication  of  The  New  York  Mercury,  and 
made  some  attempts  at  book  printing.  He  published  for 
his  own  sales  several  small  volumes ;  but  the  turbulence 
of  the  times  checked  his  progress  in  this  branch  of  printing. 

Southwick  discovered  a  sincere  and  warm  attachment 
to  the  interests  of  the  country.  He  was  a  firm  whig,  a 
sensible  and  spirited  writer,  and  in  other  respects  was 
qualified  to  be  the  editor  of  a  newspaper,  and  the  con 
ductor  of  a  press  in  times  of  revolutionary  commotion. 

The  severity  of  the  British  government,  to  the  province 
of  Massachusetts  particularly,  was  manifested  by  several 
acts  of  parliament  which  were  passed  in  1774.  By  one  of 
these  acts  the  people  were  deprived  of  many  of  their 
chartered  rights  and  privileges.  By  another  the  port  of 
Boston  was  shut,  and  the  transaction  of  every  kind  of  com 
mercial  business  on  the  waters  of  this  harbor  was  inter 
dicted.  These  arbitrary  edicts  aroused  the  indignation 
of  the  people  in  all  the  colonies.  They  loudly  expressed 
their  resentment  in  various  ways,  and  the  press  became 
the  organ  through  which  their  sentiments  were  energetic 
ally  announced. 


198          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Southwick  was  among  the  number  of  printers  who  were 
not  backward  to  blow  the  trumpet  in  our  Zion,  and  to  sound 
an  alarm  in  the  holy  mountain  of  our  liberties.  He  wrote 
and  printed  an  address  to  the  people  of  Rhode  Island, 
which  was  headed  with  the  motto,  "  JOIN  OR  DIE!  "  This 
motto  had  appeared  in  several  of  the  newspapers,  as  wrill 
be  mentioned  hereafter.  In  this  appeal,  Boston  was  re 
presented  as  in  a  state  of  siege ;  which  was  actually  true ; 
for  the  harbor  was  completely  blockaded  by  ships  of  war, 
and  a  large  number  of  troops  were  quartered  in  the  town. 
It  was  also  further  stated  that  these  measures  of  the  British 
government  were  a  "  direct  hostile  invasion  of  all  the  colo 
nies."  The  address  was  concluded  by  observing,  that  "  the 
generals  of  despotism  are  now  drawing  the  lines  of  circum- 
vallation  around  our  bulwarks  of  liberty,  and  nothing  but 
unity,  resolution  and  perseverance,  can  save  ourselves  and 
posterity  from  what  is  worse  than  death,  slavery.'7 

Southwick,  by  his  publications  and  exertions  in  the 
cause  of  the  country,  became  very  obnoxious  to  those  who 
were  of  the  opposite  party ;  and  he,  with  other  zealous 
wings,  were  marked  as  objects  for  punishment.  When 
the  British  fleet  and  army  took  possession  of  Newport,  in 
1776,  he  barely  eluded  the  threatened  evil.  As  soon  as  a 
part  of  the  army  had  landed,  detachments  of  both  horse 
and  foot  were  sent  into  all  parts  of  the  town  to  arrest  the 
patriots,  who  were  endeavoring  to  effect  an  escape. 
Southwick,  his  wife,  with  a  child  in  her  arms,  and  some 
other  persons,  had  got  on  board  an  open  boat,  and  were 
just  putting  off  from  the  shore  into  a  very  rough  sea, 
occasioned  by  a  high  wind,  when  a  party  of  soldiers  who 
were  in  pursuit  of  them  came  in  sight.  Southwick's 
wife  had  a  brother  who  was  a  royalist,  and  as  such  was 
known  to  the  British  officers;  who  however,  wished  to 
secure  the  retreat  of  his  sister  and  her  husband.  Aware 
of  their  danger,  this  brother  put  himself  in  the  way  of 


RHODE  ISLAND.  199 

their  pursuers,  and  for  a  few  moments  arrested  their 
attention,  by  giving  them  information  of  the  several  parts 
of  the  town  whence  the  proscribed  whigs  would  probably 
attempt  to  make  their  retreat,  &c.  This  friendly  inter 
ference  gave  Southwick  and  his  friends  time  to  get  a  few 
rods  from  the  shore  before  the  party  arrived  at  the  spot 
they  had  just  quitted.  The  boat  was  yet  within  reach  of 
their  shot.  The  soldiers  fired  at  them  but  without  effect. 
The  passengers  fortunately  received  no  injury,  and  were 
soon  wafted  to  a  place  of  safety.1 

Southwick  was,  at  this  time,  a  member  of  the  general 
assembly  of  Rhode  Island.  He  owned  two  new  houses  in 
Newport,  that,  with  other  property  which  he  left  at  that 
place,  were  destroyed.  He  sought  an  asylum  in  Attle- 
borough,  on  the  frontier  of  Massachusetts,  and  there 
erected  a  press ;  but  being  soon  after  appointed  commis 
sary-general  of  issues  for  the  state  of  Rhode  Island,  he  re 
moved  to  Providence. 

As  soon  as  the  British  troops  evacuated  Newport  he 
returned  to  that  town  and  resumed  the  publication  of  his 
newspaper,  which  he  continued  till  the  year  1787,  when,  by 
ill  health,  and  embarrassed  circumstances,  he  was  obliged 
to  relinquish  business,  and  to  place  the  Mercury  in  other 
hands.2 

His  pecuniary  concerns  were  greatly  impaired  by  the 
rapid  depreciation  of  the  paper  currency,  before  the  esta- 


1  Mr.  Southwick  escaped  with  his  wife  and  eldest  son  Solomon,  but  a 
younger  child  and  its  nurse  were  captured. —  M. 

2  In  a  historical  sketch  of  the  Mercury,  published  in  that  paper  when  it 
had  completed  a  century  of  its  existence,  June  12,  1858,  it  is  asserted  that 
Southwick  did  not  return  to  resume  his  paper,  but  that  Henry  Barber  re 
vived  its  publication  in  1780.     As  yet  no  copies  of  the  Mercury  have  been 
found  that  were  published  from  1776  to  1780,  when  Barber's  name  appears  ; 
but  it  is  mentioned  by  Mr.  Thomas  in  the  second  volume  of  this  work,  that 
Southwick  resumed  its  publication  at  Attleborough,  Mass.     Copies  of  the 
Mercury  are  preserved  in  the  library  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society 
at  Worcester,  which  show  that  Southwick  was  associated  with  Barber  in 
May,  1785  ;  that  he   was  printing  it  alone  in  1787  ;  and  that  Barber  was 


200  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

blishment  of  peace.  He,  like  many  others,  cherished  a 
belief  that  the  nominal  sum  specified  in  the  bills  would 
eventually  be  made  good  in  specie.  The  impracticability 
of  the  thing  was  not  considered,  even  when  one  hundred 
dollars  in  paper  would  purchase  but  one  of  silver.  The 
delusion  was  not  discovered  by  some  till  they  found  them 
selves  involved  in  ruin.  The  government  of  the  union 
were  indebted  to  Southwick  both  for  his  services  and  for 
money  loaned.  This  debt,  like  others  of  the  kind,  was 
liquidated  by  notes  known  by  the  name  of  final  settlement. 
In  the  course  of  some  months  after  they  were  issued,  they 
were  sold  in  the  market  for  one-eighth  part  of  their  nomi 
nal  value.  To  this  depreciated  state  was  national  paper 
reduced  before  the  assumption  of  the  public  debt  by  the 
new  government ;  and,  when  it  was  in  that  state,  South- 
wick  was  compelled  to  sell  his  final  settlement  notes  for 
the  support  of  himself  and  family.  He  was  engaged  in  the 
cause  of  his  country  in  the  times  of  her  adversity  and  dan 
ger,  but  he  had  no  portion  of  the  benefits  resulting  from 
her  prosperity.  Assailed  by  poverty,  and  borne  down  by 


again  printing  it  in  his  own  name  in  1788.  Southwick's  monument  is 
still  seen  in  the  cemetery  at  Newport.  A  copy  of  the  inscription  has  been 
furnished  by  Mr.  Fred.  A.  Pratt,  the  present  editor  of  the  Mercury,  as 
follows : 

"  In  memory  of  |  Solomon  Southwick,  Esq.,  |  a  gentleman  of  liberal  | 
education  and  expansive  mind,  |  for  many  years  |  editor  and  proprietor 
of  the  |  Newport  Mercury  \  and   commissary  general   for  the  |  state   of 
Rhode  Island  |  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  |  He  died  Dec.  23,  1797,  |  in 
the  G6th  year  of  his  age. 

Just,  generous,  benevolent  and  sincere, 
Was  he  whose  hallowed  dust  reposes  here  ; 
If  e'er  a  partial  prayer  lie  breathed  to  heaven, 
That  prayer  was  for  his  country's  glory  given." 

The  house  which  Mr.  Southwick  occupied  on  his  return  to  Newport, 
with  his  printing  office,  is  that  in  which  the  Newport  Bank  is  now  lo 
cated.  Children  of  his  son,  Henry  C.,  reside  in  Albany,  and  preserve 
volumes  of  the  Mercury  and  other  mementos  of  their  ancestor,  among 
which  is  a  diploma  from  the  College  and  Academy  of  Philadelphia  for 
proficiency  in  Philosophy  and  Mathematics,  1757,  conferring  upon  him 
the  degree  of  B.A.— M. 


RHODE  ISLAND.  201 

infirmity,  he  lived  in  obscurity  from  the  year  1788  to  the 
time  of  his  death ;  and,  being  unable  to  provide  for  his 
children,  he  left  them  to  make  their  own  way  in  the  world. 

He  lost  his  wife,  who  was  an  excellent  woman,  in  1783 ; 
and  he  died  himself  December  23,  1797,  aged  sixty-six 
years. 

His  son  who  bore  his  name,  settled  at  Albany,  and  was 
for  many  years  the  publisher  of  The  Albany  Register.1 

PROVIDENCE. 

For  many  years  the  principal  part  of  the  trade  of  the 
colony  was  carried  on  at  Newport.  At  length  Providence 
rose  to  eminence  and  became  the  successful  rival  of  New 
port.  Printing  was  introduced  there  in  1762. 

WILLIAM  GODDARD,  the  son  of  Doctor  Giles  Goddard, 
postmaster  at  New  London,  in  Connecticut,  was  the  first 
who  established  a  printing  press  in  Providence,  and  was 
soon  after  appointed  deputy  post-master. 


JMr.  Southwick  left  five  children:  Solomon,  Henry  C.,  Wilmarth, 
Eliza,  and  John.  Solomon  became  editor  of  The  Albany  Register,  which 
was  began  in  1788  as  a  democratic  paper,  and  with  which  he  was  con 
nected  for  a  period  of  nearly  thirty  years.  He  was  successively  clerk 
of  the  house  of  assembly  at  Albany;  clerk  of  the  senate;  sheriff  of  the 
county  ;  manager  of  the  state  literature  lottery  ;  state  printer ;  regent  of 
the  university  ;  postmaster  of  the  city  ;  and  president  of  the  Mechanics 
and  Farmers'  bank.  For  a  considerable  time  he  was  at  the  head  of  the 
democratic  party,  wielding  almost  unlimited  influence  upon  the  political 
destinies  of  the  state.  Besides  the  Register,  which  he  published  in  his  own 
name  from  1808  to  1817,  he  also  published  The  CJiristian  Visitant,  in  1815, 
and  The  Plough  Boy,  an  agricultural  paper,  in  1819.  He  edited  the  National 
Democrat,  in  1817;  the  National  Observer,  inl826 ;  the  Family  Newspaper,  in 
1888.  He  was  twice  nominated  for  governor,  but  his  party  was  at  the  time 
in  the  minority.  He  was  a  voluminous  writer,  and  left  several  published 
volumes.  He  died  suddenly  Nov.  18,  1839,  aged  66.  His  brother 
Henry  C.,  was  a  practical  printer,  and  was  sometime  associated  with  him 
in  the  business.  He  married  Jane,  a  sister  of  John  Barber  who  established 
the  Register,  and  whom  he  succeeded  as  its  proprietor.  She  survived  him 
several  years.  Of  six  sons  but  one  left  posterity.  The  Albany  Barbers 
were  of  a  different  family  from  those  of  Newport.—  M. 
18 


202          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Goddard  served  his  apprenticeship  with  James  Parker, 
printer  in  New  York.  He  opened  a  printing  house  in 
Providence  in  1762,  and  soon  after  published  a  newspaper. 
There  was  at  that  time  but  one  other  paper  printed  in  the 
colony,  viz.  at  Newport ;  yet  after  a  trial  of  several  years, 
Goddard  did  not  meet  with  such  encouragement  as  to  in 
duce  him  to  continue  his  Gazette.  He  left  his  printing 
house,  &c.,  in  the  care  of  his  mother,  and  sought  for  him 
self  a  more  favorable  place  of  residence. 

On  leaving  Providence  he  was  for  a  short  time  concerned 
with  Holt,  in  New  York,  in  publishing  Parker's  Gazette  and 
Post  Boy  ;  and  as  a  silent  partner  drew  a  share  of  the  pro 
fits.  After  the  repeal  of  the  stamp  act,  in  1766,  he- closed 
his  concerns  with  his  friends  Parker  and  Holt,  and  went 
to  Philadelphia,  and  there  printed  a  newspaper,  &c. 

I  shall  have  occasion  again  to  mention  Goddard,  who 
was  in  business  several  years  in  Philadelphia ;  and  after 
wards  at  Baltimore,  where  he  finished  his  professional 
labors. 

As  a  printer  he  was  ingenious  and  enterprising.  He 
made  several  strong  efforts  to  acquire  property,  as  well  as 
reputation  ;  but  by  some  means  his  plans  of  business  fre 
quently  failed  of  success.  He  was  most  fortunate  in  his 
concerns  for  a  few  years  after  the  termination  of  the  war. 
At  length  he  supposed  that  he  had  become  possessed  of  a 
competency  to  carry  him  through  life  "  without  hard  rub 
bing."  In  this  apprehension  he  quitted  business,  returned 
to  New  England,  and  resided  several  years  on  a  large  farm 
near  Providence,  of  which  he  was  the  proprietor,  and  died 
Dec.  23,  1817,  aged  77. 

Major  General  Charles  Lee,  an  officer  in  the  American 
army  during  the  revolutionary  war,  owned  a  landed  estate 
in  Berkeley  county,  Virginia,  and  left  by  will  one-third 
part  of  this  estate  to  Goddard  and  Eleazar  Oswald,  to  whom 
he  professed  himself  to  have  been  under  obligations. 


RHODE  ISLAND.  203 

Few  could  conduct  a  newspaper  better  than  Goddard. 
He  was  a  capable  editor,  and  his  talents  were  often  drawn 
into  requisition.  He,  like  many  others,  was  a  laborious 
agent  in  the  cause  of  his  country,  and  in  many  instances 
where  he  had  neither  honor  nor  profit  for  his  reward. 
When  the  loaves  and  fishes  were  to  be  divided,  aspiring, 
interested,  nominal  patriots,  crowded  him  into  the  back 
ground,  and  his  services  were  in  a  great  measure  forgotten. 

Goddard,  however,  received  from  the  postmaster  general 
the  appointment  of  surveyor  general  of  post  roads  ;  and, 
in  this  instance,  fared  better  than  many  others,  whose  public 
services  were  never  rewarded  by  any  office  whatever,  either 
of  profit  or  honor.  [See  Philadelphia  — Baltimore — News 
paper.'} 

SARAH  GODDARD,  the  mother  of  William  Goddard,  was 
the  daughter  of  Lodowick  Updike,  whose  ancestors  were 
among  the  first  settlers  of  Rhode  Island,  and  her  brother 
was  for  some  years  attorney  general  of  the  colony.  She 
received  a  good  education,  acquired  an  acquaintance  with 
several  branches  of  useful  and  polite  learning,  and  married 
Dr.  Giles  Goddard,  of  New  London,  who  left  her  a  widow. 

After  her  son  had  been  a  few  years  in  business,  she  became 
his  partner.  He  left  the  management  of  the  printing  house 
and  newspaper  to  her,  and  she  conducted  them  with  much 
ability  for  about  two  years,  when  John  Carter  supplied  the 
place  of  her  son ;  the  firm  was  then  SARAH  GODDARD  &  COM 
PANY.  She  resigned  the  business  to  Carter  in  1769,  removed 
to  Philadelphia  the  same  year,  and  died  there  in  January, 
1770.  [_See  Newspapers  in  vol.  ii.] 

JOHN  CARTER  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  and  served  his 
apprenticeship  with  Franklin  &  Hall,  in  that  city.  He 
was  the  partner  of  Sarah  Goddard  from  1766  to  1768  in 
clusive;  and,  in  1769,  he  became  the  successor  of  William 


204          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

and  Sarah  Goddard,  and  proprietor  of  the  Providence 
Gazette. 

For  more  than  twenty  years  his  printing  house  was 
"  at  Shakespear's  Head,  opposite  to  the  Court  House;" 
after  which  it  was  near  the  bridge,  and  opposite  to  the 
market. 

He  was  postmaster  before  the  revolution,  and  for  many 
years  subsequent  to  it.  He  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
art  which  he  practised,  and  the  productions  of  his  press 
exhibit  evidence  of  a  good  and  correct  workman. 

He  was  a  staunch  supporter  of  the  cause  of  our  country, 
before  its  independence;  and  after  that  important  event 
took  place,  he  did  not  lose  sight  of  her  best  interests.  He 
prosecuted  printing  in  an  accurate  manner  for  forty-six 
years.  His  character  as  a  man  of  honor  and  integrity  was 
well  established  :  he  died  in  August,  1814,  aged  sixty-nine 
years. 

JOHN  WATERMAN  was  bred  a  seaman,  and  became  the 
master  of  a  vessel.  Preferring  the  mechanic  arts,  he  left 
the  pursuits  of  commerce,  and  built  a  paper  mill  two  miles 
from  Providence,  which  probably  was  the  first  erected  in 
the  colony.  In  1769,  he  purchased  the  press  and  types 
which  were,  for  many  years,  owned  and  used  by  Samuel 
Kneeland  of  Boston  ;  with  these  he  opened  a  printing  house 
near  his  paper  mill,  but  made  little  use  of  them. 


NEW  HAMPSHIRE.  205 


NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

The  printing  for  this  colony  was  executed  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  until  1756.  Only  two  printing  houses  were 
opened  in  New  Hampshire  before  the  year  1775,  and  one  of 
these  had  for  several  years  been  shut.  The  productions  of 
the  press  were  few :  the  largest  work  printed  was  the  laws 
of  the  province. 

PORTSMOUTH. 

Although  this  place  was  the  capital  of  the  colony,  and 
had  been  settled  a  long  time,  yet  no  means  had  been  used 
to  introduce  printing  into  it  until  about  the  year  1755, 
when  several  of  the  influential  inhabitants  exerted  them 
selves  for  this  purpose ;  and,  in  the  year  following,  the  press 
was  established  there,  at  which  was  executed  the  first  print 
ing  done  in  New  Hampshire. 

DANIEL  FOWLE,  who  had  been  arrested  and  imprisoned 
in  Boston,  on  a  charge  of  having  published  a  libel  against 
the  government  of  Massachusetts,  was,  as  has  been  stated, 
solicited  by  several  gentlemen  in  Portsmouth,  and  after 
wards  encouraged  by  the  government,  to  set  up  a  press  in 
that  town.  He  accordingly  removed  from  Boston  to  Ports 
mouth  in  July,  1756,  and  soon  after  published  a  newspaper. 
Fowle  did  but  little  at  book  printing;  it  being  his  princi 
pal  business  to  publish  the  newspaper.  He  was  appointed 
printer  to  the  government;  and  the  laws,  &c.,  were  issued 
from  his  press. 

In  September,  1764,  he  took  his  nephew  Robert  Fowle 
as  his  partner.  The  firm  of  the  company  was  DANIEL  & 
EGBERT  FOWLE.  They  remained  together  until  1774,  when 
they  separated,  and  Robert  soon  after  removed  to  Exeter. 

Daniel  Fowle  continued  in  business  until  his  death,  but 


206          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

did  not  acquire  much  property.  He  married  into  a  very 
respectable  family  in  Boston,  some  years  before  lie  re 
moved  from  that  town,  but  had  110  children.  He  received 
the  commission  of  a  magistrate  a  short  time  after  he  set 
tled  at  Portsmouth.  He  was  a  correct  printer  and  indus 
trious.  He  was  mild  in  his  disposition,  agreeable  in  his 
manners,  liberal  in  his  sentiments,  and  attached  to  the  cause 
of  his  country.  He  died  in  June,  1787,  aged  72  years. 
[*SVe  Boston — Hist.  Newsp.~\ 

THOMAS  FURBER  was  born  in  Portsmouth,  and  served 
his  apprenticeship  with  Daniel  Fowle.  Some  zealous  wings, 
who  thought  the  Fowles  were  too  timid  in  the  cause  of 
liberty,  or  their  press  too  much  under  the  influence  of  the 
officers  of  the  crown,  encouraged  Furber  to  set  up  a  second 
press  in  the  province.  He  in  consequence  opened  a  printing 
house  in  Portsmouth,  toward  the  end  of  1764,  and  soon 
after  published  a  newspaper.  In  1765,  he  received  as  a 
partner  Ezekiel  Kussell.  Their  firm  was  FURBER  &  RUS 
SELL.  Excepting  the  newspaper,  they  printed  only  a  few 
hand-bills  and  blanks.  The  company  became  embarrassed, 
and  in  less  than  a  year  its  concerns  terminated,  and  the 
partnership  was  dissolved.  Upon  the  dissolution  of  the 
firm,  the  press  and  types  were  purchased  by  the  Fowles. 
Furber  became  their  journeyman,  and  Russell  went  to 
Boston. 

Furber  had  been  taught  plain  binding,  and  undertook 
to  connect  it  with  printing.  Although  he  was  not  very 
skillful,  either  as  a  printer  or  as  a  binder,  he  began  the 
world  under  favorable  circumstances ;  and,  had  he  been 
attentive  to  his  affairs,  he  might  have  been  successful. 
He  was  good  natured  and  friendly,  but  naturally  indolent; 
and,  like  too  many  others,  gave  himself  up  to  the  enjoyment 
of  a  companion,  when  he  should  have  been  attending  to  his 
business.  He  died  in  Baltimore,  at  the  house  of  William 


NEW  HAMPSHIRE.  207 

Goddard,  who  had  employed  him  for  a  loiig  time  and 
shown  him  much  friendship.  He  left  a  widow  and  several 
children. 

EXETER. 

A  difference  in  the  political  sentiments  of  D.  and  R. 
Fowle,  printers  and  copartners  at  Portsmouth,  was  the 
cause  of  their  separation  in  1774 ;  and  probably  the  reason 
of  the  establishment  of  a  press  in  Exeter. 

ROBERT  FOWLE  was  the  son  of  John  Fowle,  who  was 
several  years  a  silent  partner  with  Rogers  &  Fowle  in  Bos 
ton,  and  afterwards  an  Episcopal  clergyman  at  Norwalk  in 
Connecticut.  He  served  his  apprenticeship  with  his  uncle, 
at  Portsmouth;  and  when  of  age  became  his  partner,  as 
has  been  mentioned.  This  copartnership  being  ended  they 
divided  their  printing  materials.  Robert,  who  was  neither 
a  skillful  nor  a  correct  printer,  took  the  press  and  types 
which  had  been  used  by  Furber,  and  settled  at  Exeter. 
He  did  some  work  for  the  old  government,  and,  in  1775, 
some  for  the  new.  He  made  several  attempts  to  establish 
a  newspaper,  and  in  1776  began  one,  which  he  published 
more  than  a  year. 

The  new  paper  currency  of  New  Hampshire  had  been 
printed  by  Fowle,  and  it  was  counterfeited ;  and  suspicion 
rested  on  him  as  having  been  concerned  in  this  criminal 
act.  He  was  a  royalist,  and  fled  within  the  British  lines 
in  New  York.  By  this  step  the  suspicion,  which  might 
not  have  been  well  founded,  was  confirmed.  Thus  ended 
the  typographical  career  of  Robert  Fowle.  With  other 
refugees  from  the  United  States,  he  was  placed  upon  the 
British  pension  list.  Some  time  after  the  establishment 
of  peace,  he  returned  to  this  country,  married  the  widow 
of  his  younger  brother,  who  had  succeeded  him  at  Exeter, 
and  resided  in  New  Hampshire  until  he  died.  Robert 
Fowle  had  very  respectable  connections. 


208          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


PENNSYLVANIA. 

This  was  the  second  English  colony  in  America,  where 
the  press  was  established. 

The  charter  of  the  province  was  granted  to  William 
Penn,  in  the  year  1681 ;  and,  about  the  year  1686,  a  print 
ing  press  was  established  "  near  Philadelphia." 

PHILADELPHIA. 

This  city  was  laid  out,  and  the  building  of  it  begun  by 
its  proprietor,  in  1683.  In  less  than  six  years  after  the 
city  was  founded  printing  was  practiced  here. 

WILLIAM  BRADFORD  was  the  first  printer  who  settled  in 
this  colony.  He  was  the  son  of  William  and  Anne  Brad 
ford,  of  Leicester,  England,  at  which  place  he  was  born 
in  the  year  1660.1  He  served  his  apprenticeship  in  London, 
with  Andrew  Sowle,  printer  in  Grace  Church  street,  and 
married  his  daughter  Elizabeth.  Sowle  was  intimately 
acquainted  with  George  Fox,  a  shoemaker  of  Nottingham, 
and  the  founder  of  the  English  sect  of  quakers.  Sowle 
was  one  of  this  sect,  and  printed  for  the  society.  Brad 
ford  adopted  the  principles  of  the  quakers,  and  was  among 
the  first  emigrants  from  England  to  Pennsylvania  in  1682, 
and  landed  at  the  spot  where  Philadelphia  was  soon  after 
laid  out  before  a  house  was  built.  The  next  year  his  wife 
arrived.2 


1  The  inscription  on  Bradford's  tombstone,  in  Trinity  church  yard,  New 
York,  says :  "  He  was  born  in  Leicestershire,  in  old  England,  in  1000."    But 
The  American  Almanackfor  1780,  printed  by  him,  has  in  the  record  of  events 
which  have  occurred  in  the  month  of  May  :  "  The  printer  born  the  20th 
1063."     That  day  was  accordingly  selected  for  commemoration  in  1803. 
(See  Wallace's  Address). —  II. 

2  Thomas  Holme,  who  was  William  Perm's  surveyor  general,  drew  a 
plan   of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  which  was  engraved  and  printed  in 


PENNSYLVANIA.  209 

At  what  place  he  first  settled  is  rather  uncertain  ;  but 
it  was,  as  he  expresses  it,  "  near  Philadelphia."  The 
Swedes  had  begun  a  colony  in  Delaware  as  early  as  1626, 
and  made  a  settlement  at  Chester,  now  a  part  of  Penn 
sylvania.  The  Dutch  conquered  the  Swedes  and  attached 
Delaware  to  the  government  of  New  York.  By  agreement 
with  the  Duke  of  York,  Penn,  after  his  arrival,  assumed 
the  government  of  Delaware,  and  united  it,  in  matters  of 
legislation,  with  Pennsylvania.  The  general  assembly 
was  holden  at  Chester,  and  this  borough  became  for  a  time 
a  place  of  consequence.  It  is  probable  that  Bradford 
resided  there  until  Philadelphia  assumed  the  appearance 
of  a  city.  He  might,  however,  have  set  up  his  press  at 
Burlington,  which  is  but  eighteen  miles  distant  from  Phila 
delphia,  and  was  then  the  capital  of  New  Jersey.  The 
first  work  printed  by  Bradford,  which  has  reached  us  with 
a  date,  is,  "  An  Almanack  for  the  year  of  the  Christian 
account  1687.  Particularly  respecting  the  Meridian  and 
Latitude  of  Burlington,  but  may  indifferently  serve  all 
places  adjacent.  By  Daniel  Leeds,  Student  in  Agriculture. 
Printed  and  sold  by  William  Bradford,  near  Philadelphia 
in  Pennsilvania  pro  Anno  1687."  This  is  a  sheet  almanac 
in  twelve  compartments  for  the  twelve  months.  The 
year  begins  with  March  and  ends  with  February,  as  was 
usual  in  the  seventeenth  century.  At  the  bottom  of  the 
sheet  are  an  explanation  of  the  almanac,  an  account  of 
the  eclipses  for  the  year,  courts  and  fairs  at  Burlington  and 
Philadelphia,  and  short  rules  in  husbandry.1 


London,  in  1683,  and  had  this  title  and  imprint,  viz  :  "  A  portraiture  of  the 
city  of  Philadelphia  in  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  in  America,  by 
Thomas  Holme,  surveyor-general.  Sold  by  Andrew  Sowle  in  Shoreditch, 
London."  By  this  it  appears  that  in  1683,  Sowle  either  lived  or  had  a  shop 
in  Shoreditch, 

1  Mr.  Wallace,  in  his  Commemorative  Address,  says :  "  The  earliest  issue  of 
Bradford's  press,  known  to  me,  is  an  Almanack  for  the  year  1686,  pro- 
19 


210          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

It  appears  that  at  the  time  Bradford  printed  this 
almanac  he  lived  near  Philadelphia,  and  Chester,  as  I 
have  said,  was  near  this  city.1 

In  1689,  Bradford  lived  in  the  city.  I  possess  a  quarto 
pamphlet  by  George  Keith,  respecting  the  New  England 
churches,  printed  by  Bradford  in  Philadelphia  that  year. 

It  is  the  oldest  book  I  have  seen  printed  in  the  city.  I  have 
another  pamphlet,  of  seventy-four  pages,  printed  by  him  in 
1690,  entitled,  "A  Refutation  of  Three  Opposers  of  Truth 
by  plain  Evidence  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  viz  :  Pardon  Til- 
linghast,  B.  Iveech,  and  Cotton  Mather;  and  a  few  Words 
of  a  Letter  to  John  Cotton.  By  George  Keith." — Imprint 
"  Philadelphia,  Printed  and  Sold  by  William  Bradford 
Anno  1690."  I  have  another  quarto  pamphlet,  of  seventy- 


duccd  of  course  in  1685.  It  was  called  Kalcmlarium  Pcnnsylianiemc  or 
Americds  Messenger,  an  Almanack. 

"In  1C86  lie  produced  Biirnycafs  Epistle.  The  title  is 'An  Epistle 
from  John  Burnyeat  to  friends  in  Pennsylvania,  to  be  by  them  dispensed 
to  the  Neighboring  Provinces,  which  for  Convenience  and  Dispatch  was 
thought  good  to  be  Printed,  and  so  ordered  by  the  Quarterly  meeting  of 
Philadelphia  the  7th  of  4th  Month  1G86.  Printed  and  Sold  by  William 
Bradford,  near  Philadelphia,  1686." 

"  Of  an  Almanack  which  was  issued  in  1687,  more  than  one  copy  is 
extent"— Address,  pp.  26-29. 

The  fact  that  in  1688,  Bradford  issued  proposals  for  printing  "  a  large 
Bible,"  was  accidentally  discovered  by  Mr.  Nathan  Kite  of  Philadelphia, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  years  afterwards,  he  having  found  a  copy  of  the 
proposals  in  print  serving  as  the  inner  lining  paper  of  the  cover  of  a 
book.  The  proposals  are  given  in  full  in  the  appendix  to  Mr.  Wallace's 
address. —  //. 

1  It  has  been  suggested  that  Bradford  first  settled  at  Kensington,  about 
two  miles  to  the  eastward  of  Philadelphia,  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware ; 
at  which  place  there  were  at  that  time  two  or  three  houses,  and  where 
remained  the  great  oak  tree,  under  which  William  Penn  held  a  treaty 
with  the  Indians,  until  the  3d  of  March,  1810,  when  it  was  overthrown  by 
a  tornado.  Proud,  in  his  History  of  Pennsylvania,  observes  in  a  note : 
"  The  quakers  had  meetings  for  religious  worship,  and  for  the  economy 
of  their  societ}r,  as  early  as  the  fore  part  of  the  year  1681,  at  the  house  of 
Thomas  Fairlamb,  at,  Shakamaxon,  near  or  about  the  place  where  Kensing 
ton  now  stands,  nigh  Philadelphia."  This  fact  renders  it,  in  a  degree,  pro 
bable,  that  Bradford  did  settle  at  Kensington.  The  creek  at  the  north 
end  of  the  city  is  known  to  this  day  by  the  Indian  name  Shakamaxon. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  211 

two  pages,  written  by  George  Keith,  entitled :  "  A  Serious 
Appeal  to  all  the  more  Sober,  Impartial  and  Judicious 
People  of  New  England,  to  whose  Hands  this  may  come." 
It  is  a  vindication  of  the  quakers  from  the  attack  of  Cotton 
Mather,  etc.  "  Printed  and  Sold  by  William  Bradford  at 
Philadelphia  in  Pennsylvania,  in  the  year  1692." 

In  the  year  1692,  much  contention  prevailed  among  the 
quakers  in  Philadelphia,  and  Bradford  took  an  active  part 
in  the  quarrel.  George  Keith,  by  birth  a  Scotchman,  a 
man  of  good  abilities  and  well  educated,  was  surveyor 
general  in  New  Jersey ;  and  the  society  of  Friends  in  the 
city  employed  him  in  1689,  as  the  superintendent  of  their 
schools.  Keith  having  attended  to  this  duty  nearly  two 
years  became  a  public  speaker  in  their  religious  assemblies ; 
but  being,  as  the  quakers  asserted,  of  a  turbulent  and  over 
bearing  spirit,  he  gave  them  much  trouble.  They  forbade 
him  speaking  as  a  teacher,  or  minister,  in  their  meetings. 
This,  and  some  other  irritating  circumstances,  caused  a 
division  among  the  Friends,  and  the  parties  were  violently 
hostile  to  each  other.  Bradford  was  of  the  party  which 
was  attached  to  Keith,  and  supported  him  ;  their  opponents 
were  the  majority.  Among  them  were  Lieutenant  Go 
vernor  Lloyd,  and  most  of  the  quaker  magistrates.  Keith 
and  Thomas  Budd  wrote  against  the  majority,  and  Brad 
ford  published  their  writings. 

Keith  was  condemned  in  the  city  meetings,  but  appealed 
to  the  general  meeting  of  the  Friends ;  and,  in  order  that 
his  case  might  be  generally  known  and  understood,  he 
wrote  an  address  to  that  body  which  he  caused  to  be 
printed,  and  copies  of  it  to  be  dispersed  among  the  Friends 
previous  to  their  general  meeting.  This  conduct  was 
highly  resented  by  his  opponents.  The  address  was  de 
nominated  seditious,  and  Bradford  was  arrested  and  im 
prisoned  for  printing  it.  The  sheriff  seized  a  form 
containing  four  quarto  pages  of  the  types  of  the  address; 


212         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

and  also  took  into  his  custody  a  quantity  of  paper,  and  a 
number  of  books,  which  were  in  Bradford's  shop,  with  all 
the  copies  of  the  address  which  he  could  find.  The  civil 
authority  took  up  the  business ;  and,  as  Keith  and  Brad 
ford  state  the  facts,  they  who  persecuted  them  in  the  reli 
gious  assemblies  condemned  and  imprisoned  them  by  civil 
process;  the  judges  of  the  courts  being  the  leading  cha 
racters  in  the  meetings.  Several  of  Keith's  party  were 
apprehended  and  imprisoned  with  Bradford;  and  among 
them,  Thomas  Budd,  and  John  McComb.  The  offence  of 
the  latter  consisted  in  his  having  two  copies  of  the  address 
which  he  gave  to  two  friends  in  compliance  with  their 
request. 

The  following  was  a  warrant  for  committing  Bradford 
and  MacComb : 

"  Whereas  William  Bradford,  printer,  and  John  Mac- 
Comb,  taylor,  being  brought  before  us  upon  an  informa 
tion  of  Publishing,  Uttering  and  Spreading  a  Malitious 
and  Seditious  paper,  intituled  An  Appeal  from  the  twenty- 
eight  Judges1  to  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  &c.  Tending  to  the 
disturbance  of  the  Peace  and  the  Subversion  of  the  present 
government,  and  the  said  Persons  being  required  to  give 
Securitie  to  answer  it  at  the  next  Court,  but  they  refused 
so  to  do.  These  are  therefore  by  the  King  and  Queens 
Authoritie  and  in  our  Proprietarys  Name,  to  require  you 
to  take  into  your  Custody  the  Bodies  of  William  Bradford 
and  John  MacComb,  and  them  safely  keep  till  they  shall 
be  discharged  by  due  Course  of  Law.  Whereof  fall  not 
at  your  Peril ;  and  for  your  so  Doing,  this  shall  be  your 
sufficient  Warrant.  Given  under  our  Hands  and  Seales 
this  24th  of  August,  1692. 

"  These  to  John  White  Sheriff  of  Philadelphia  or  his 
Deputies." 


1  "Twenty-eight,"  meaning  those  who  condemned  Keith,  in  what  lie 
called  "  their  Spiritual  Court." 


PENNSYLVANIA.  213 

Signed  by  Arthur  Cook,  and  four  others. 

The  day  after  the  imprisonment  of  Bradford  and  his 
friends,  a  "  Private  Sessions,"  as  it  was  called,  of  the 
county  court,  was  holden  by  six  justices,  all  quakers,  who, 
to  put  a  better  complexion  on  their  proceedings,  requested 
the  attendance  of  two  magistrates  who  were  not  quakers. 

This  court  assembled,  it  seems,  for  the  purpose  of  con 
victing  Keith,  Budd,  and  their  connections,  of  seditious 
conduct,  and  of  condemning  them  without  a  hearing;  but 
the  two  magistrates  who  were  not  quakers,  if  we  credit 
Keith  and  Bradford,  reprobated  the  measure,  and  refused 
to  have  any  concern  in  it,  declaring  that  the  whole  transac 
tion  was  a  mere  dispute  among  the  quakers  respecting 
their  religion,  in  which  the  government  had  no  concern. 
They,  however,  advised  that  Keith,  and  others  accused, 
should  be  sent  for,  and  allowed  to  defend  themselves,  and 
affirmed  that  if  any  thing  like  sedition  appeared  in  their 
practice,  they  would  join  heart  and  hand  in  their  prosecu 
tion.  To  this  the  quaker  magistrates  would  not  consent, 
and  the  others  in  consequence  left  the  court.  The  court 
then,  as  is  stated  in  a  pamphlet,1  "  proceeded  in  their 
work,  and  as  they  judged  George  Keith  in  their  spiritual 
court,  without  all  hearing  or  trial,  so  in  like  manner,  they 
prosecuted  him  in  their  temporal  court  without  all  hear 
ing."  The  pamphlet  further  states  that  "  one  of  the  judges 
declared  that  the  court  could  judge  of  matter  of  fact  without 
evidence,  and  therefore  without  more  to  do  proclaimed 
George  Keith,  by  the  common  cryer,  in  the  market  place, 
to  be  a  seditious  person,  and  an  enemy  to  the  king  and 
queen's  government."  [Appendix  H.~\ 


1  This  pamphlet  is  entitled, "  New  England  Spirit  of  Persecution,  trans 
mitted  to  Pennsilvania,  and  the  Pretended  Quaker  found  Persecuting  the 
True  Christian  Quaker  in  the  Tryal  of  Peter  Boss,  George  Keith,  Thomas 
Budd  and  William  Bradford,  at  the  Sessyons  held  at  Philadelphia  the 
Ninth,  Tenth,  and  Twelfth  Days  of  December,  1692.  Giving  an  account 
of  the  most  Arbitrary  Proceedings  of  that  Court." 


214  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Bradford  and  MacComb,  who  had  been  imprisoned, 
appeared  at  this  court,  and  requested  that  they  might  be 
brought  to  trial;  pleading  that  it  was  very  injurious  to 
them  and  their  familes  to  remain  in  confinement.  They 
claimed,  as  free  born  English  subjects,  the  rights  secured 
by  Magna  Charta,  among  which  was  the  prompt  adminis 
tration  of  justice ;  and  Bradford,  in  particular,  desired  that 
his  trial  might  then  take  place,  "because,  not  only  his 
person  was  restrained,  but  his  working  tools,  and  the  paper 
and  books  from  his  shop,  were  taken  from  him,  and 
without  these  he  could  not  work  and  maintain  his  family." 

At  this  court  the  following  conversation  took  place 
between  the  judges  and  the  prisoners,  all  of  whom  were 
quakers  : 

"  Justice  Cook.  What  bold,  impudent  and  confident 
men  are  these  to  stand  thus  confidently  before  the  Court  ? 

"  Mac  Comb.  You  may  cause  our  hats  to  be  taken  off 
if  you  please. 

"  Bradford.  We  are  here  only  to  desire  that  which  is  the 
right  of  every  free  born  English  subject,  which  is  speedy 
justice,  and  it  is  strange  that  that  should  be  accounted 
impudence,  and  we  impudent  fellows  therefore,  when  we 
have  spoke  nothing  but  words  of  truth  and  soberness,  in 
requesting  that  which  is  our  right,  and  which  we  want ; 
it  being  greatly  to  our  prejudice  to  be  detained  prisoners. 

"  Justice  Cook.  If  thou  hadst  been  in  England,  thou 
would  have  had  thy  back  lashed  before  now. 

"  Bradford.  I  do  not  know  wherein  I  have  broke  any 
law  so  as  to  incur  any  such  punishment. 

"  Justice  Jennings.  Thou  art  very  ignorant  in  the  law. 
Does  not  thee  know  that  there's  a  law  that  every  printer 
shall  put  his  name  to  the  books  he  prints,  or  his  press  is 
forfeited  ? 

"  Bradford.  I  know  that  there  was  such  a  law,  and  I 
know  when  it  expired. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  215 

"  Justice  Cool\  But  it  is  revived  again,  and  is  in  force 
and  without  any  regard  to  the  matter  of  the  book  provides 
that  the  printer  shall  put  his  name  to  the  books  he  prints, 
which  thou  hast  not  done." 

The  prisoners  continued  to  press  for  a  trial. 

"  Justice  Cook.  A  trial  thou  shall  have,  and  that  to 
your  cost,  it  may  be. 

"  Justice  Jennings.  A  trial  thou  shalt  have,  but,  for 
some  reason  known  to  us,  the  court  defers  it  to  the  next 
sessions,  and  that  is  the  answer  we  give,  and  no  other  you 
shall  have." 

The  trial  was,  accordingly,  put  over  to  the  next  term. 
The  only  offence  which  appeared  against  MacComb  was 
his  joining  with  Keith  and  his  party,  and  disposing  of  two 
copies  of  Keith's  printed  address  to  his  quaker  brethren. 
For  this  he  was  not  only  imprisoned,  but  also  deprived  by 
Lieutenant  Governor  Lloyd  of  a  license  to  keep  an  ordi 
nary,  or  house  of  public  entertainment,  for  which  he  had, 
a  few  months  before  his  confinement,  paid  the  lieutenant 
governor  twelve  pieces  of  eight,  or  three  pounds  twelve 
shillings  of  the  then  currency. 

At  the  next  session  of  the  court,  on  the  6th  of  the  fol 
lowing  December,  Bradford  was  placed  at  the  bar.  "  The 
presentment  was  read,"  the  substance  of  which  was,  that 
the  9th,  10th,  llth  and  12th  articles  of  the  pamphlet 
called  "  An  Appeal,"  had  a  tendency  to  weaken  the  hands 
of  the  magistrates  ;  and  William  Bradford  was  presented 
as  the  printer  of  that  seditious  paper.  The  following  pro 
ceedings  of  the  court  are  extracted  from  the  pamphlet 
above  mentioned : 

"  Clerk.  What  say  you  William  Bradford,  are  you 
guilty  as  you  stand  presented,  or  not  guilty  ? 

"  Bradford.  In  the  first  place,  I  desire  to  know  whether 
I  am  clear  of  the  mittimus,  which  differs  from  the  pre 
sentment  ? 


216          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

"  The  clerk  and  the  attorney  for  the  government  read 
and  perused  the  mittimus  and  presentment,  and  finding 
them  to  differ,  said,  that  when  William  Bradford  was 
cleared  according  to  law  he  was  cleared  of  the  mittimus. 
Bradford  insisted  on  knowing  whether,  on  the  issue  of  the 
presentment,  he  was  clear  of  the  mittimus.  After  a  long 
debate  on  the  subject,  Bradford  was  told  that  he  was  clear 
of  the  mittimus  on  the  issue  of  the  presentment. 

"  Bradford.     What  law  is  the  presentment  founded  on? 
"  Attorney  for  the  Government.     It  is  grounded  both  on 
statute  and  common  law. 

"  Bradford.  Pray  let  me  see  that  statute  and  common 
law,  else  how  shall  I  make  my  plea  ?  Justice  Cook  told 
us  last  court,  that  one  reason  why  ye  deferred  our  trial 
then,  was  that  we  might  have  time  to  prepare  ourselves 
to  answer  it ;  but  ye  never  let  me  have  a  copy  of  my  pre 
sentment,  nor  will  ye  now  let  me  know  what  law  ye  pro 
secute  me  upon. 

"Attorney.  It's  not  usual  to  insert  in  indictments  against 
what  statute  the  offence  is,  when  it's  against  several  statutes 
and  laws  made. 

"  Justice  White.  If  thou  wilt  not  plead  guilty,  or  not 
guilty,  thou  wilt  lose  thy  opportunity  of  being  tried  by  thy 
country. 

"  The  court  then  ordered  the  clerk  to  write  down  that 
William  Bradford  refused  to  plead ;  which  he  did ;  but  as 
he  was  writing  it  down,  Bradford  desired  they  would  not 
take  advantage  against  him,  for  he  refused  not  to  plead,  but 
only  requested  that  which  was  greatly  necessary  in  order 
to  his  making  his  own  defence.  Several  in  the  court  re 
questing  on  the  prisoner's  behalf  that  the  court  would  not 
take  advantage  against  him,  they  admitted  him  to  plead, 
and  he  pleaded  not  guilty. 

"The  jury  were   then  called  over,   and   attested;  but 
before  they  were  attested,  Bradford  was  asked  if  he  had 


PENNSYLVANIA.  217 

any  exceptions  to  make  against  any  of  them  that  were 
returned  for  the  jury. 

"  Bradford.  Yes,  I  have,  and  particularly  against  two 
of  them,  Joseph  Kiiie  and  James  Fox ;  for  at  the  time  when 
I  was  committed  to  prison,  Arthur  Cook  [one  of  the  judges] 
told  me,  that  Joseph  Kirle  had  said,  that  if  the  proceed 
ings  of  the  magistrates  were  thus  found  fault  with,  that 
they  must  not  defend  themselves  against  thieves  and  rob 
bers,  merchants  would  be  discouraged  of  coming  here  with 
their  vessels,  &c. ;  and  I  except  against  James  Fox,  because 
the  first  day  after  Babbit  and  his  company  were  taken,  I 
being  at  Sam  Carpenter's,  there  was  Governor  Lloyd, 
James  Fox,  and  several  others,  and  in  discourse  concerning 
the  taking  of  the  said  privateers,  James  Fox  greatly 
blamed  William  Walker,  because  he  found  fault  with 
some  justices  that  were  quakers  for  commanding  men, 
and  as  it  were  pressing  them  to  go  against  the  said  pri 
vateers;  and  also  James  Fox  joined  with  Thomas  Lloyd 
in  saying  he  would  mark  them  as  enemies  to  the  govern 
ment  and  well  being  of  the  province,  who  were  neutral  in 
the  case  of  going  against  Babbit  and  his  crew ;  by  which 
instances  I  think  it  appears  that  these  two  persons  have 
prejudged  the  cause  that  is  now  to  come  before  them. 

"  Joseph  Kirle  acknowledged  that  he  had  spoken  such 
words,  and  desired  to  be  discharged ;  but  the  court  would 
not  allow  of  the  exceptions. 

"  Clerk.     These  are  no  exceptions  in  law. 

"Attorney.  Hast  thou  at  any  time  heard  them  say 
that  thou  printed  that  paper  ?  for  that  is  only  what  they 
are  to  find. 

"  Bradford.     That  is  not  only  what  they  are  to  find, 
they  are  to  find  also,  whether  this  be  a  seditious  paper  or 
not,  and  whether  it  does  tend  to  the  weakening  of  the 
hands  of  the  magistrates. 
20 


218          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

"  Attorney.  N"o,  that  is  matter  of  law,  which  the 
jury  is  not  to  meddle  with,  but  find  whether  "William 
Bradford  printed  it  or  not,  and  the  bench  is  to  judge 
whether  it  be  a  seditious  paper  or  not,  for  the  law  has 
determined  what  is  a  breach  of  the  peace,  and  the  penalty, 
which  the  bench  only  is  to  give  judgment  on. 

"  Justice  Jennings.  You  are  only  to  try,  whether  Wil 
liam  Bradford  printed  it  or  not. 

"  Bradford.  This  is  wrong,  for  the  jury  are  judges  in 
law  as  well  as  the  matter  of  fact. 

"  The  attorney  again  denied  it;  whereupon  some  of  the 
jury  desired  to  know  what  they  were  to  try,  for  they  did 
believe  in  their  consciences,  they  were  obliged  to  try  and 
find  whether  that  paper  was  seditious,  as  well  as  whether 
Bradford  printed  it ;  and  some  of  them  desired  to  be  dis 
charged. 

"  A  great  noise  and  confusion  among  the  people. 

"  Some  on  the  bench  showing  their  willingness  to  allow 
of  Bradford's  exceptions  to  the  two  jurors,  Justice  Cook 
said, '  I  will  not  allow  of  it ;  is  there  four  of  us  of  a  mind  ? ' 
Then  the  attorney  read  the  9th,  10th,  llth  and  12th  articles 
of  the  said  printed  appeal,  <fcc.,  and  commented  thereupon, 
and  then  said,  William  Bradford  is  presented  for  printing 
and  publishing  this  seditious  paper,  whereof  you  of  the 
jury  are  to  find  him  guilty,  if  it  appears  to  you  that  he  has 
printed  it. 

"  Bradford.  I  desire  you  of  the  jury,  and  all  men  pre 
sent  to  take  notice,  that  what  is  contained  in  this  paper  is 
not  seditious,  but  wholly  relating  to  a  religious  difference, 
and  asserting  the  quakers'  ancient  principles,  and  it  is  not 
laid  down  positive  that  they  ought  not  to  have  proceeded 
against  the  privateers,  but  laid  down  by  the  way  of  query 
for  the  people  called  quakers  to  consider  and  resolve  at 
their  yearly  meeting,  whether  it  was  not  a  transgression 


PENNSYLVANIA.  219 

of  the  quakers'  principles  to  hire  and  commissionate  men 
to  fight  ? 

"  Justice  Cook.  If  it  was  intended  for  the  yearly  meet 
ing  at  Burlington,  why  was  it  published  before  the  meeting  ? 

"  Bradford.  Because  it  might  be  perused  and  considered 
of  by  Friends  before  the  meeting,  even  as  the  bills  that  are 
proposed  to  be  passed  into  laws,  they  are  promulgated  a 
certain  number  of  days  before  the  assembly  meets,  that 
each  may  have  opportunity  to  consider  them. 

"  Then  the  attorney  read  the  act1  against  printing  any 
book  without  the  printer's  name  to  them;  and  he  said, 
That  was  one  act  which  they  prosecuted  William  Bradford 
upon. 

"  GTeorge  Keith  answered  the  attorney.  '  It  may  be 
observed  the  singular  and  extraordinary  severity  of  those 
justices,  called  quakers,  who  will  pick  out  a  statute  made  in 
Old  England,  and  prosecute  a  man  upon  it  here,  which  might 
ruin  him  and  his  family,  though  it's  not  certain  whether 
that  act  be  in  force  ;  most  of  William  Penn's  and  the 
quakers'  books  were  printed  without  the  name  of  the  printer 
when  that  act  was  in  force,  and  yet  we  never  heard  that  any 
printer  in  England  was  prosecuted  for  that ;  these  here 
because  they  cannot  fix  the  matter  to  be  any  breach  of  the 
peace  they'll  prosecute  the  printer  for  not  putting  his  name 
to  what  they  suppose  he  printed.' 

"  Note.  That  all  the  time  those  persons  were  on  trial, 
the  grand  jury  sat  by  them,  overawing  and  threatening 
them,  when  they  spoke  boldly  in  their  own  defence,  and 
one  of  the  jury  wrote  down  such  words  as  they  disliked, 
signifying  that  they  would  present  them.  Justice  Cook  bid 
them  take  notice  of  such  and  such  words,  thereby  overawing 
the  prisoners,  that  they  had  not  liberty  to  plead  freely. 
When  Thomas  Harris,  at  the  request  of  the  prisoners, 


An  act  of  the  British  parliament.     14  Car.  2  cap.  33. 


220  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

began  to  say  something  to  the  matter,  they  stopt  him  and 
bid  an  officer  take  him  away,  and  Arthur  [justice]  Cook 
said  that  he  should  plead  no  more  there. 

"  After  a  long  pleading,  D.  Lloyd,  their  attorney,  began 
to  summons  up  the  matter  to  the  jury,  and  concluded  by 
saying,  it  was  evident  William  Bradford  printed  the  sedi 
tious  paper,  he  being  the  printer  in  this  place,  and  the 
frame *  on  which  it  was  printed  was  found  in  his  house. 

"Bradford.  I  desire  the  jury  and  all  present  to  take 
notice,  that  there  ought  to  be  two  evidences  to  prove  the 
matter  of  fact,  but  not  one  evidence  has  been  brought  in 
this  case. 

"  Justice  Jennings.  The  frame  on  which  it  was  printed 
is  evidence  enough. 

"Bradford.  But  where  is  the  frame?  There  has  no 
frame  been  produced  here  ;  and  if  there  had,  it  is  no  evi 
dence,  unless  you  saw  me  print  on  it. 

"  Justice  Jennings.  The  jury  shall  have  the  frame  with 
them;  it  cannot  well  be  brought  here;  and  besides  the 
season  is  cold,  and  we  are  not  to  sit  here  to  endanger  our 
health.  You  are  minded  to  put  tricks  upon  us. 

"Bradford.  You  of  the  jury,  and  all  here  present, 
I  desire  you  to  take  notice,  that  there  has  not  one  evidence 
been  brought  to  prove  that  I  printed  the  sheet,  called  An 
Appeal ;  and,  whereas  they  say  the  frame  is  evidence  which 
the  jury  shall  have;  I  say,  the  jury  ought  not  to  hear,  or 
have  any  evidence  whatsoever,  but  in  the  presence  of  the 
judges  and  prisoners. 

"  Yet  this  was  nothing  minded,  but  Sam  [justice]  Jen 
nings  summoned  up  to  the  jury,  what  they  were  to  do, 
viz:  to  find,  first,  whether  or  not  that  paper,  called  the 
Appeal,  had  not  a  tendency  to  the  weakening  the  hands 
of  the  magistrates,  and  the  encouragement  of  wickedness  ? 


1  Called  by  printers  form,  containing  the  pages  in  types. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  221 

Secondly,  whether  it  did  not  tend  to  the  disturbance  of  the 
peace  ?  and,  thirdly,  whether  "William  Bradford  did  not 
print  it,  without  putting  his  name  to  it  as  the  law  requires  ? 
The  jury  had  a  room  provided  for  them,  and  the  sheriff 
caused  the  frame  to  be  carried  in  to  them  for  an  evidence 
that  "William  Bradford  printed  the  Appeal.  The  jury  con 
tinued  about  forty-eight  hours  together,  and  could  not 
agree;  then  they  came  into  court  to  ask  whether  the  law 
did  require  two  evidences  to  find  a  man  guilty  ?  To 
answer  this  question,  the  attorney  read  a  passage  out  of  a 
law  book,  that  they  were  to  find  it  by  evidences,  or  on 
their  own  knowledge,  or  otherwise ;  now,  says  the  attorney, 
this  otherwise  is  the  frame  which  you  have,  which  is  evi 
dence  sufficient. 

"  Bradford.  The  frame  which  they  have  is  no  evidence 
for  I  have  not  seen  it;  and  how  do  I,  or  the  jury,  know 
that  that  which  was  carried  in  to  them  is  mine  ? 

"Bradford  was  interrupted;  the  jury  were  sent  forth 
again,  and  an  officer  commanded  to  keep  them  without  meat, 
drink,  fire,  or  tobacco.  In  the  afternoon  the  jury  came 
into  the  court  again,  and  told,  they  were  not  like  to  agree ; 
whereupon  the  court  discharged  them. 

"  Bradford  then  said  to  the  court,  that  seeing  he  had 
been  detained  so  long  a  prisoner,  and  his  utensils  with 
which  he  should  work  had  been  so  long  kept  from  him, 
he  hoped  now  to  have  his  utensils  returned,  and  to  be  dis 
charged  from  his  imprisonment. 

"  Justice  Jennings.  No !  Thou  shalt  not  have  thy 
things  again,  nor  be  discharged ;  but  I  now  let  thee  know 
thou  stand  in  the  same  capacity  to  answer  next  court,  as 
before. 

"  Fext  court  being  come,  Bradford  attended,  and  desired 
to  know,  if  the  court  would  let  him  have  his  utensils,  and 
he  be  discharged  ? 


222          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

"Justice  Cook.  Thou  shalt  not  have  thy  goods  until 
released  by  law. 

"  Bradford.  The  law  will  not  release  them  unless 
executed. 

"  Justice  Cook.  If  thou  wilt  request  a  trial,  thou  may 
have  it. 

"  Whereupon  Bradford  queried,  whether  it  be  according 
to  law  to  seize  men's  goods,  and  imprison  their  persons, 
and  to  detain  them  under  the  terror  of  a  gaol,  one  six 
months  after  another,  and  not  bring  them  to  trial  unless 
requested  by  the  imprisoned?  Whether,  when  a  jury  is 
sworn,  well  and  truly  to  try,  and  true  deliverance  make 
between  the  proprietor  and  prisoner,  it  is  not  illegal  to 
absolve  them  from  their  oaths,  dismiss  them,  and  put  the 
cause  to  trial  to  another  Jury?"  l 

Soon  after  this  session  of  the  court  Bradford  was  by 
some  means  released  from  his  confinement.  It  is  said, 
that  in  the  examination  of  the  frame,  the  jury,  not  being 
acquainted  with  reading  backwards,  attempted  to  raise  it 
from  the  plank  on  which  it  was  placed,  and  to  put  it  in  a 
more  favorable  situation  for  inspection ;  and  that  one  of 
them  assisting  with  his  cane,  pushed  against  the  bottom 
of  the  types  as  the  form  was  placed  perpendicularly,  when, 
like  magic,  this  evidence  against  Bradford  instantly 
vanished,  the  types  fell  from  the  frame,  or  chase  as  it  is 
termed  by  printers,  formed  a  confused  heap,  and  prevented 
further  investigation.2 


1  These  extracts  from  the  printed  contemporaneous  account  of  Brad 
ford's  trial  are  not  literal  transcripts  of  the  original ;  but  the  forms  of 
expression  were  sometimes  condensed,  and  sometimes  paraphrased,  by 
Thomas,  while  meaning  always  to  preserve  the  sense. —  II. 

2  Proud,  in  his  History  of  Pennsylvania,  mentions,  that  George  Keith 
had  published  several  virulent  pieces,  one  of  which  indecently  reflected 
on    several   of    the   principal    magistrates   in    their   judicial    capacity, 
whereby  their  authority  with  the  lower  classes  of  the  people  was  lessened. 
The  printer,  William  Bradford,  and  John  MacComb  who  had  published 
it,  were  apprehended  by  a  warrant  from  live  magistrates,  and  examined, 


PENNSYLVANIA.  223 

Bradford  having  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  domi 
nant  party  in  Pennsylvania,  and  receiving  encouragement 
to  settle  in  New  York,  he,  in  1693,  removed  to  that  city ; 
but  it  is  supposed  he  had  a  concern  in  the  press  which 
was  continued  in  Philadelphia.  [See  New  York.'] 

BEINIEK  JANSEN.  At  this  distance  of  time,  it  cannot  be 
ascertained  how  long  before  or  after  1699  Jansen  printed 
in  Philadelphia;  nor  is  it  certain  that  he  owned  a  press. 
It  has  been  supposed  by  some,  that  after  William  Bradford 
differed  and  seceded  from  his  quaker  brethren  who  had 
the  principal  concern  in  public  affairs,  they  procured  and 
set  up  another  press ;  and  by  others,  that  Jansen  was  either 
an  apprentice,  or  a  journeyman  to  Bradford;  that  after 
Bradford  had  removed  to  New  York,  in  1693,  he  left  Jan 
sen  to  manage  a  press  in  Philadelphia ;  and  that,  for  pru 
dential  reasons,  Jansen  conducted  the  press  in  his  own 
name,  and  had  a  share  in  the  profits  of  the  business.  Some 
arrangement  of  this  kind,  probably,  took  place,  and  con 
tinued  during  the  minority  of  Andrew,  the  son  of  "William 
Bradford. 

Whatever  was  the  nature  of  this  connection,  it  is  certain 
that  there  was  little  business  for  the  press  in  Philadelphia, 
excepting  the  disputes  among  the  quakers;  but  there  was 
more  employment  for  that  in  New  York ;  and  that  the  ma 
terials  of  both  the  printing  houses  united  would  not  have 
formed  a  large  apparatus. 

and  upon  their  contemptuous  behavior,  and  refusal  to  give  security,  were 
committed.  He  adds,  "  But  they  were  soon  discharged,  without  being 
brought  to  a  trial."  This  does  not  altogether  agree  with  the  account  of 
the  trial  printed  at  the  time,  and  which  it  is  probable  had  not  come  to 
the  knowledge  of  Proud.  Respecting  Keith  and  Budd,  Proud  says,  they 
were  also  presented  by  the  grand  jury  of  Philadelphia,  as  authors  of 
another  book  of  the  like  tendency,  entitled,  The  Plea  of  the  Innocent,  in 
which  they  defamed  Samuel  Jennings,  "a  judge  and  a  magistrate." 
This  presentment  was  prosecuted;  "  so  the  matter  was  brought  to  a  trial, 
and  the  parties  fined  5/.  each;  but  the  fines  were  never  exacted." 


224:          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

I  have  met  with  only  one  book  with  Jansen's  name  in 
the  imprint.  The  title  of  that  one,  at  large,  is,  "  God's 
Protecting  Providence  Man's  surest  Help  and  Defence  in 
the  Times  of  the  greatest  difficulty  and  most  Imminent 
danger,  Evidenced  in  the  Remarkable  Deliverance  of  Divers 
Persons  from  the  Devouring  Waves  of  the  Sea,  amongst 
which  they  Suffered  Shipwreck.  And  also  from  the  more 
cruelly  devouring  jawes  of  the  inhumane  Canibals  of 
Florida.  Faithfully  related  by  one  of  the  persons  con 
cerned  therein.  Printed  in  Philadelphia  by  Rtinier  Jansen, 
1699." 

JACOB  TAYLOR.  I  have  not  met  with  any  thing  printed 
by  him,  and  doubt  his  having  been  a  printer.  As  it  appears 
by  the  journals  of  the  assembly  that  he  was  consulted  about 
printing  the  laws  of  the  province  in  1712,  some  persons 
have  been  of  opinion  that  at  that  time  he  printed  in  Phila 
delphia.  I  can  find  no  other  evidence  of  this  fact  than 
what  appears  in  the  following  extracts  from  the  journals 
of  the  assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  viz  : 

In  1712,  "  on  the  ninth  of  the  third  month,"  the  assembly 
determined  that  it  would  "  be  of  great  use  and  benefit  to 
the  country  to  have  the  laws  printed,  and  thereupon  sent 
for  Jacob  Taylor,  to  treat  with  him  about  the  same.  He 
informed  the  house,  that  according  to  the  best  of  his  judg 
ment,  the  charges  thereof  would  amount  to  one  hundred 
pounds  besides  paper." 

It  was  this  circumstance,  I  am  led  to  suppose,  that  in 
duced  Andrew  Bradford,  who  was  connected  with  his 
father  in  New  York,  to  leave  that  city,  and  commence 
printing  in  Philadelphia;  for  on  the  "  twenty-fourth  of  the 
ninth  month,"  the  assembly  chose  a  committee,  "  to  treat 
with  Jacob  Taylor,  and  the  other  printers  in  town,  about  the 
charge  it  will  require  to  print  the  laws  of  this  province,  and 
report  the  same  to  this  house  this  afternoon."  The  printers 


PENNSYLVANIA.  225 

then  in  town1  were  doubtless  William  and  Andrew  Bradford 
from  New  York,  as  it  cannot  be  discovered  that,  at  that 
time,  there  were  any  other  professors  of  the  art  nearer  than 
!N"ew  London  and  Boston.  It  is  possible  that  Jan  sen  might 
have  been  of  the  number,  but  it  is  believed  that  he  died,  or 
had  left  Philadelphia,  before  this  time.  However  this  may 
have  been,  the  committee  performed  the  service  which  was 
required  of  them,  and  made  their  report  in  the  after  part  of 
that  day.  Seven  persons  were  then  immediately  chosen,  who 
"  with  the  speaker's  assistance,  were  appointed  trustees  on 
behalf  of  the  province  to  employ  one  or  more  persons  in 
printing  five  hundred  volumes  of  the  laws  thereof,  and  that 
50  pounds  of  the  province  stock  shall  be  paid  by  the  trea 
surer  as  money  comes  into  his  hands,  (after  paying  500?. 
to  the  lieutenant  governor,  &c.),  unto  the  said  trustees, 
towards  defraying  the  charges  aforesaid ;  and,  that  what 
it  amounts  to  more  by  a  true  account  of  the  whole  expense, 
and  due  credit  given  for  the  sales  made  of  the  said  books, 
produced  to  the  assembly  for  the  time  being,  the  -same 
shall  be  a  debt  chargeable  on  this  province,  to  be  paid  out 
of  the  public  stock  thereof." 

As  there  would  not  be  sufficient  money  in  the  treasurer's 
hands  for  the  use  of  printing  the  laws,  after  paying  the  500£. 
to  the  lieutenant  governor,  and  the  members  of  the  assembly 
for  their  services,  it  was,  on  the  "  seventh  of  the  fourth 
month,  Ordered,  That  the  trustees  appointed  to  get  the  laws 


1 1  conceive  that  this  expression,  to  correspond  with  others  in  the  ex 
tracts  from  the  journals  which  follow,  should  read  thus,  "to  treat  with 
Jacob  Taylor,  and  others  who  are  printers  in  town" — meaning  the 
printers  who  came  to  town  on  this  business.  This  remark  is  justified,  in 
some  measure,  by  the  delay  of  the  assembly,  which  it  seems  waited  a  fort 
night  after  they  took  up  the  subject  before  they  proceeded  farther  with 
it.  This  gave  time  for  the  printers  in  New  York  to  get  information  of 
what  was  transacting  relative  to  printing  the  laws,  and  to  come  to  Phila 
delphia  ;  and,  it  appears  that  as  soon  as  they  arrived,  a  committee  was 
chosen  to  consult  with  them  and  Taylor,  and  was  directed  to  make  a  re 
port  the  same  day. 

21 


226          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

printed  may  take  up  money  at  interest  to  defray  the  charges 
thereof,  which  shall  be  allowed  a  debt  upon  this  province, 
to  be  discharged  with  the  first  public  money  that  comes 
to  the  treasurer's  hands,  after  the  aforesaid  payments  are 
discharged,  and  that  the  note  issued  for  the  said  fifty  pounds 
be  made  payable  accordingly." 

Notwithstanding  all  these  preparatory  measures  for 
printing  the  laws,  the  trustees  did  not  proceed  with  the 
business.  On  "  the  thirteenth  of  the  eleventh  month  in 
171f,"  the  subject  was  again  brought  forward  in  the 
assembly,  and  a  committee  of  three  persons  was  appointed, 
"  to  treat  with  any  printer,  or  other  person  or  persons  of 
this  city,  about  the  charge  and  method  of  printing  the  said 
laws,  and  bring  their  proposals  in  writing  to  this  house." 

On  the  "fifteenth  of  the  eleventh  month,"  the  same 
year, "  the  committee  appointed  to  treat,  &c.,  brought  in  a 
proposal  in  writing  from  Jacob  Taylor,  which  was  read,  and 
ordered  to  lie  on  the  table."  On  the  "  third  of  the  twelfth 
mouth,  a  proposal  from  Andrew  Bradford,  printer,  was 
read  and  ordered  to  lie  on  the  table."  And  on  the  tenth 
of  that  month,  another  committee  was  chosen  to  contract 
"with  such  printer  as  they  shall  think  Jit  to  print  the 
laws;"  and  were  authorized  to  "  employ  such  clerks  as 
they  shall  find  necessary,  to  procure  a  correct  copy  of  the 
said  laws  for  the  press."  The  committee  had  power, 
"  where  they  shall  observe  any  two  or  more  laws  of  the 
same  tenor  or  effect,  (unless  they  be  supplementary  to 
each  other)  to  omit  such  of  them  as  shall  appear  to  be 
redundant,  only  taking  care  that  their  titles  be  printed." 
Andrew  Bradford  was  employed  to  print  the  laws;  and,  it 
is  probable  that  it  was  at  this  time  he  established  himself 
in  Philadelphia. 

Although  the  following  extract  from  the  journals  of  the 
assembly  relates  to  Bradford,  I  will  insert  it  in  this  place 
as  it  is  the  conclusion  of  the  business  respecting  this 


PENNSYLVANIA.  227 

edition  of  the  laws,  which  made  a  volume  of  one  hundred 
and  eighty-four  pages, folio,  viz  : 

"  1714.  6th  mo.  4.  A  petition  from  Andrew  Bradford, 
setting  forth  that  by  order  of  the  governor  and  assembly 
he  has  printed  the  laws  of  this  province ;  that  the  repeal 
of  several  laws  by  her  Majesty,  has  put  a  stop  to  the  sale 
of  them ;  and  desiring  to  be  relieved  by  this  house ;  was 
received,  arid  ordered  to  lie  on  the  table." 

"  1714.  6th  mo.  5.  Resolved  that  the  speaker  issue  his 
warrant  unto  Richard  Hill,  to  pay  unto  Andrew  Bradford, 
printer,  thirty  pounds  for  fifty  bound  volumes  of  the  laws 
of  this  province. 

If  Taylor  was  not  a  printer,  it  is  not  improbable  that  he 
might  be  desirous  to  contract  for  printing  the  laws,  with  a 
view  of  having  the  work  executed  in  Boston,  and  making 
a  profit  thereby.  There  was  a  Jacob  Taylor,  who  for 
about  thirty  years  annually  calculated  an  almanac,  which 
was  published  in  Philadelphia,  by  Andrew  Bradford ;  he 
was  probably  the  same  person ;  he  died  in  1746.  I  can 
learn  nothing  farther  of  him. 

ANDREW  BRADFORD,  was  the  son  of  William  Bradford,  who 
first  printed  in  Pennsylvania.  He  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
went  to  New  York  with  his  father,  and  of  him  learned  the 
art  of  printing.  "When  his  minority  ended,  he  was  one 
year  the  partner  of  his  father.  About  the  year  1712,  he 
returned  to  Philadelphia,  and  from  that  time  to  1723,  was 
the  only  printer  in  the  colony. 

His  printing  house  was  "  in  Second  street,  at  the  sign 
of  the  Bible."  He  sold  pamphlets  and  school  books,  and 
till  1730  frequently  advertised  other  articles  for  sale,  such 
as  whalebone,  live  geese  feathers,  pickled  sturgeon,  choco 
late,  Spanish  snuif,  &c.,  and  executed  common  binding. 
He  printed  for  the  government,  and  published  polemical 
pamphlets,  which,  during  many  years,  afforded  employment 


228          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

for  the  press  wherever  it  was  established.  In  1732,  he  was 
postmaster,1  and,  in  1735,  became  a  considerable  dealer  in 
books  and  stationery.  December  22,  1719,  Bradford  pub 
lished  the  first  newspaper  printed  in  Pennsylvania,  The 
American  Mercury.  John  Copson  appears  to  have  been  a 
partner  in  this  publication  for  about  two  years.2  In  1739, 
his  foster  son,  William,  was  his  partner;  this  connection 
lasted  about  eleven  months,  and  ended  in  1740. 

When  Franklin  made  his  first  visit  to  Philadelphia  in 
1723,  a  second  printing  house  was  opening  by  Keimcr. 
Franklin,  although  a  journeyman  in  this  rival  printing 
house,  boarded  some  time  with  Bradford.  It  is  evident 
from  Franklin's  statement,  that  Bradford  was  not  merely 
civil,  he  was  friendly  to  this  young  stranger ;  and,  although 
he  had  no  employment  for  him,  yet  he  made  him  welcome 
to  his  house,  "  till  something  better  should  offer."  When 
mentioning  Bradford,  arid  his  rival  Keimer,  Franklin  ob 
serves,  they  were  both  "  destitute  of  every  qualification 
necessary  to  their  profession."  The  first  "  was  very  illi 
terate,3  and  the  latter  "  ignorant  of  the  world." 

In  1738,  Andrew  Bradford  purchased  the  house,  in  South 
Front  street,  which  was  kept  in  possession  of  the  family, 
and  long  after  occupied  as  a  printing  house  by  Thomas 
Bradford,  publisher  of  The  True  American,  a  daily  news 
paper.  He  printed  three  or  four  Almanacs  annually,4  viz  : 


1  In  the  Discourse  on  Andrew  Bradford  before  the  Historical  Society  of 
Pennsylvania,  in  1869,  by  Horatio  Gates  Jones,  Esq.,  it  is  said  that  Brad 
ford's  paper,  the  Weekly  Mercury  of  April  4th,  1728,  has  a  statement  that 
"  the  Post  Office  will  be  kept  at  the  house  of  Andrew  Bradford."  He 
may  therefore  have  had  the  appointment  thus  early. —  H. 

2 Bradford,  in  1720,  calls  Copson  a  bookseller;  but,  in  1721,  Copson 
styles  himself  a  merchant. 

3  Mr.  Jones,  in  his  discourse,  controverts  this  charge  of  illiteracy  against 
Bradford —  //. 

4  Mr.  Jones,  p.  21,  enumerates  seven  almanacs  printed  by  Bradford, 
rivals  of  Poor  Richard,  besides  a  sheet  almanac, —  M. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  229 

Jacob  Taylor's,  Titan  Leeds's,  John  Jerman's,  and  William 
Birkett's;  these  he  published  many  years. 

Bradford  increased  his  property,  and  became  easy  in  his 
circumstances.  He  was  postmaster;  and  retained  the 
office  for  several  years  after  Franklin  opened  a  third  print 
ing  house  in  Philadelphia.  However  correct  Franklin's 
opinion  of  him  may  be,  it  is  certain  that  Bradford  possessed, 
in  a  considerable  degree,  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his 
fellow  citizens;  as  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  common 
council  of  the  city,  and  was  in  this  office  at  the  time  of  his 
death. 

In  1741,  he  published  a  periodical  work,  entitled,  The 
American  Magazine,  or  Monthly  View  of  the  Political  State  of 
the  British  Colonies.  This  work  was  soon  discontinued. 

His  wife  died  in  December,  1739 ;  and,  in  1740,  he 
married  Cornelia  Smith,  a  native  of  New  York,  who  was 
related  to  his  father's  second  wife.  He  died  November 
23,  1742,1  aged  about  fifty-six  years ;  and  was  buried  in 
Christ  church  burying  ground.  On  this  occasion  The 
American  Mercury  appeared  in  mourning  six  weeks. 

[See  Newspapers  —  Philadelphia.'] 

SAMUEL  KEIMER  was  bred  to  printing  in  London,  where 
he  married;  and  leaving  his  wife  in  England,  he  came  to 
this  country  and  opened  a  printing  house  "  in  High  street, 
near  the  Market-House,  at  Philadelphia,"  in  1723.  Until 
that  time  Bradford  was  the  only  printer  in  the  colony. 
Keimer's  printing  materials  consisted  "  of  an  old  damaged 
press,  and  a  small  cast  of  worn  out  English  types,  con 
tained  in  one  pair  of  cases."2  He  soon  made  a  small  addi 
tion  to  his  types,  which  enabled  him  to  print  pamphlets, 
and  other  small  works.  He  was  bred  a  compositor,  and 


1  Mr.  Jones  in  his  discourse  on  Andrew  Bradford,  says  he  died  "  on  the 
night  of  the  24th  of  November."— M. 

2  Franklin's  Life. 


230  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

like  other  European  compositors,  knew  little  of  the  ma 
nagement  of  the  press.  "When  he  wanted  to  use  this  small 
printing  apparatus,  he  had  neither  man  nor  boy  to  assist 
him.  His  press  was  found  to  be  deficient  in  some  of  its 
parts,  and  it  had  not  been  put  together.  At  this  time 
Franklin  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  and  sought  employment. 
Keimer  engaged  him  to  put  his  press  in  order,  and  hired 
him  as  a  journeyman. 

The  first  production  of  Keimer's  press  was  an  elegy  of  his 
own  on  the  death  of  Aquilla  Rose,  printer,  a  young  man  of 
excellent  character,  secretary  to  the  general  assembly,  and 
the  principal  workman  in  Bradford's  printing  house. 
Keimer  was  engaged  on  this  elegy  mentally  and  manually 
when  he  first  saw  Franklin,  who  observes  that  Keimer  was 
a  poet,  but  "  could  not  be  said  to  write  in  verse,  for  his 
method  was  to  set  the  lines  in  types  as  they  flowed  from 
his  muse."  1 

Soon  after  printing  this  elegy  he  published  a  small 
pamphlet,  which  he  called  A  Parable.  This  was  said  to  be 
the  joint  work  of  himself  and  Franklin.  It  gave  offence  to 
the  quakers,  and  produced  the  following  advertisement  in 
The  American  Mercury ,  viz : 

"  Whereas  one  Samuel  Keimer,  who  lately  came  into 
this  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  hath  Printed  and  Published 
divers  Papers,  particularly  one  Entituled  A  Parable,  &c., 
in  some  Parts  of  which  he  assumes  to  use  such  a  Stile  and 
Language,  as  that  perhaps  he  may  be  Deemed,  where  he  is 
not  known,  to  be  one  of  the  People  called  Quakers.  This 
may  therefore  Certifie,  That  the  said  Samuel  Keimer  is 
not  one  of  the  said  People,  nor  Countenanced  by  them  in 
the  aforesaid  Practices.  Signed  by  Order  of  the  Monthly 
Meeting  of  the  said  People  called  Quakers,  held  at  Phila 
delphia,  the  29th  Day  of  the  Ninth  Month,  1723. 
"  SAMUEL  PRESTON,  6V." 

1  See  the  article  Barbadoes,  for  a  specimen  of  Keimer's  poetry. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  231 

Keimer  kept  a  small  shop  and  sold  blanks,  and  a  few 
other  articles.  Among  other  things,  in  July,  1724,bayberry 
wax  candles,  and  fine  white  Liverpool  soap.  He  printed 
pamphlets,  and  "  rubbed  along  "  for  some  time,  till  Frank 
lin  left  him.  His  business,  thus  far,  had  not  been  very  pro 
ductive  of  profit;  but,  during  the  absence  of  Franklin,  he 
took  a  larger  house,  procured  new  types,  opened  a  shop 
which  was  well  supplied  with  stationery,  employed  four  or 
five  hands  in  his  printing  house,  and  improved  his  condi 
tion  in  life.  Franklin  found  Keimer  in  this  situation  when 
he  returned  from  England;  and  having  been  disappointed 
in  his  expectations  he  again  became  a  journeyman  to  his 
former  employer. 

Among  other  small  works  printed  by  Keimer,  was  a 
spurious  edition  of  Jacob  Taylor's  Almanac  for  1726,  of 
which  all  but  the  calculations  were  compiled  and  written 
by  Keimer.  Taylor  disowned  the  work  in  a  long  poetical 
essay,  not  of  the  most  delicate  kind,  which  he  published 
in  Bradford's  paper,  and  it  was  soon  after  followed  by  an 
advertisement  of  the  following  purport : 

"  Whereas  there  hath  been  lately  Published  and  Spread 
abroad  in  this  Province  and  elsewhere,  a  lying  Pamphlet, 
called  an  Almanack,  set  out  and  Printed  by  Samuel  Keimer, 
to  reproach,  ridicule,  and  rob  an  honest  Man  of  his  Repu 
tation,  and  strengthening  his  Adversaries,  and  not  only 
so,  but  he  hath  Notoriously  Branded  the  Gospel  Minister 
of  the  Church  of  England  with  ignominious  Names,  for 
Maintaining  a  Gospel  Truth,  and  reproacheth  all  the  Pro 
fessors  of  Christ  and  Christianity,  as  may  be  seen  in  his 
Almanack  in  the  Month  of  December;  now  all  judicious 
Readers  may  fairly  see  what  this  Man's  Religion  Consisteth 
in,  only  in  his  Beard  and  his  sham  keeping  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Sabbath,  following  Christ  only  for  Loaves  and  Fishes. 
This  may  give  Notice  to  the  Author  of  this  Mischief,  that 
if  he  do  not  readily  Condemn  what  he  hath  done,  and 


232  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Satisfy  the  Abused,  he  may  expect  to  be  Prosecuted  as  the 
Law  shall  direct. 

"  AARON  GOFORTII,  Senior." 

The   following  year   he   printed  another   Almanac  for 

1727,  which  he  called  Titan  Leeds's,  and  sent  a  parcel  of 
them  to  Boston,  New  York,  &c.,  for  sale,  where  they  met 
a  good  market.      The  publication    of  this  Almanac   was 
the  cause  of  a  quarrel  between  him  and  Bradford,  who  pro 
nounced  it  to  be  a  forgery.     Keimer  made  a  contract  with 
the  legislature  of  New  Jersey,  to  print  the  money  bills  for 
that  province  ;  and  he  sent  Franklin  with  a  press  to  Bur 
lington  to  execute  this  business  ;  who,  having  accomplished 
the  job,  returned  to  Philadelphia.     He  soon  after  quitted 
the  employment  of  Keimer,  and,  with  a  partner,  opened 
another  printing  house. 

No  friendship  appeared  to  exist  between  Keimer  and 
Franklin,  who  soon  became  a  powerful  rival  to  Keimer, 
whose  affairs  were  in  an  embarrassed  state.  Franklin  in 
tended  to  publish  a  newspaper,  and  kept,  as  he  thought, 
his  intention  secret,  until  he  could  make  the  necessary 
preparation  for  the  undertaking.  The  design,  however, 
came  to  the  knowledge  of  Keimer,  who  immediately  pub 
lished  a  prospectus  of  one  which  would  speedily  issue  from 
his  own  press  ;  and,  notwithstanding  Franklin's  endeavors 
to  prevent  it,  the  paper  made  its  appearance  December  24, 

1728.  Franklin,  being  thus  anticipated  in  the  execution 
of  a  favorite  plan,  under  a  borrowed  signature  ridiculed 
Keimer  and  his  paper  in  Bradford's  Mercury  ;  and  by  this 
and  other  means,  succeeded  in  counteracting  the  circulation 
of  the  paper.     Keimer  soon  found  that  he  was  unable  to 
continue  his  gazette.     Franklin  well  knew   his  situation, 
and  offered  to  pay  him  a  small  sum,  if  he  would  resign  the 
paper  to  him.     The  offer  was  accepted. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  233 

Soon  after  this  transaction,  Keimer  became  inattentive 
to  business ;  and,  in  consequence,  involved  himself  in  debt 
and  was  obliged  to  sell  his  stock  and  his  printing  ma 
terials  to  satisfy  his  creditors ;  which  having  done,  he  went 
to  Barbadoes  and  settled  there.  Franklin  mentions  Keimer 
as  "  having  been  one  of  the  French  prophets,"  and  that  "  he 
knew  how  to  imitate  their  supernatural  agitations."  l  He 
characterizes  him  as  "  a  perfect  novice,  and  totally  ignorant 
of  the  world;"  but,  afterward  observes,  that  "he  was  a 
great  knave  at  heart,  that  he  possessed  no  particular  reli 
gion,  but  a  little  of  all  upon  occasion."  It  does  not  appear 
that  he  was  destitute  of  all  worldly  knowledge,  but  he  was 
unfortunate.  He  might  possibly  have  been  more  success 
ful  in  business,  had  not  his  exertions  been  counteracted  by 
those  who  in  pecuniary  concerns  possessed  more  sagacity 
than  he  did.  [See  West  Indies.'] 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN.  A  sketch  of  the  early  part  of  the 
life  of  Franklin,  as  one  of  the  printers  in  Boston,  has 
already  been  given.  We  left  him,  after  his  return  from 
England,  employed  for  a  second  time  in  the  printing 
house  of  Keimer.  Hugh  Meredith  was  then  an  appren 
tice  in  the  same  house,  but  his  apprenticeship  had  nearly 
expired.  Dissentions  took  place  between  Keimer  and 
Franklin,  and  they  parted.  Franklin  was  about  returning 
to  Boston ;  but  Meredith  persuaded  him  to  remain  in 
Philadelphia.  He  represented  to  him  that  Keimer  was 
embarrassed  in  business  and  must  soon  fail;  and  observed 
that  this  event  would  make  an  opening  for  Franklin,  who 
said  he  could  not  go  into  business  for  the  want  of  capital. 
Meredith  proposed  a  connection,  and  mentioned  that  his 
father,  who  had  a  high  opinion  of  Franklin,  would  advance 
whatever  sum  was  necessary  to  establish  them  in  business. 


1  The  visionaries  he  referred  to  appeared  about  the  year  1734. 
22 


284          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Franklin  closed  with  the  proposal.  Meredith's  father 
approved  of  the  partnership ;  and  engaged  with  a  merchant 
in  the  city  to  send  to  England  for  a  press  and  types. 

Franklin,  in  consequence  of  this  arrangement,  com 
promised  his  difference  with  Keimer  and  returned  to  his 
employment.  The  agreement  was  kept  secret,  until  the 
printing  apparatus  arrived.  At  this  time  Meredith's  in 
dentures  expired ;  and  he  and  Franklin  immediately  com 
pleted  articles  of  association.  They  took  a  house  near  the 
market,  set  up  their  press,  and  began  to  use  it  under  the 
firm  of  MEREDITH  &  FRANKLIN.  Their  first  work  was  forty 
sheets  of  foolscap,  folio,  of  the  History  of  the  Quakers, 
printed  for  the  use  of  those  of  that  sect  who  resided  in  or 
near  Philadelphia.  Franklin  daily  completed  at  case  the 
work  of  a  sheet  and  distributed  the  forms;  Meredith  did 
the  press  work.  The  text  was  on  a  pica  type,  and  the 
notes,  which  were  long,  on  smaller  letter.  After  they  had 
been  in  business  twelve  months,  they  became,  as  has  been 
mentioned,  the  proprietors  of  Keimer's  newspaper;  and 
were  appointed  printers.to  the  general  assembly.  These 
advantages  resulted  from  the  management  of  Franklin, 
who  soon  after  succeeded  in  his  plan  of  supplanting  Brad 
ford  in  the  post  office. 

Before  the  complete  revolution  of  two  years,  this  part 
nership  was  dissolved,  and  Franklin  came  into  possession 
of  the  whole  business,  which  he  conducted  with  skill  and 
reputation.  By  means  of  his  industry  and  economy  he 
soon  paid  his  debts,  and  began  to  accumulate  property. 
He  opened  a  shop  well  filled  with  stationery,  and  did  some 
thing  at  bookbinding  and  bookselling.  He  annually  pub 
lished  Poor  Richard's  Almanack,  which  became  celebrated ; 
likewise  a  neat  pocket  almanac;  and  in  1741,  he  com 
menced  the  publication  of  a  magazine,  which  was  con 
tinued  six  months.  In  1741,  he  printed  Cicero's  Cato 
Major  on  old  Age,  with  numerous  notes  in  octavo  and 


PENNSYLVANIA.  235 

quarto.  This  work  was  translated  by  J.  Logan  of  Phila 
delphia,  and  is,  probably,  the  very  first  translation  of  a 
Latin  classic,  made  and  published  in  British  America.1 
The  Greek  words  were  printed  from  Italic  characters.  After 
this  he  became  a  considerable  bookseller. 

Franklin  remained  fifteen  years  without  another  partner, 
but  being  much  engaged  in  public  life,  he,  in  January 
174  J,  entered  into  a  connection  with  David  Hall.  The  firm 
was  FRANKLIN  &  HALL.  At  this  time  the  Gazette  had  an 
extensive  circulation  in  Pennsylvania  and  in  the  neighbor 
ing  colonies,  and  the  business  of  the  printing  house  was 
very  lucrative.  Hall  took  the  sole  management  of  the 
concern ;  and,  as  I  am  well  informed,  Franklin  received 
£1,000.  currency  per  annum,  for  a  number  of  years,  as  a 
relinquishment  of  his  share  of  the  profits  of  the  business. 
In  1765,  Franklin  sold  out  all  his  interest  in  the  printing 
house  to  Hall,  and  the  partnership  was  dissolved  February 
1,  1766.  Besides  his  connection  with  Hall,  Franklin  had 
a  copartnership  with  Anthony  Ambruster,2  the  printer  of 
a  newspaper  in  Philadelphia,  in  the  German  language. 
This  concern  began  in  1754  or  1755,  and  ended  in  1758. 

In  1730,  he  married  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Head.3  She  was 
the  young  woman  whom  tie  saw  standing  at  the  door  of  her 
father's  house,  when  he  walked  the  streets  of  Philadelphia 
with  a  roll  of  bread  under  each  arm,  while  eating  a  third. 


1  The  reader  will  call  to  mind  the  fact  that  a  translation  of  the  last  ten 
books  of  Ovid's  Metamorphoses  was  made  in  Virginia  by  George  Sandys, 
the  colonial  treasurer,  between  1621  and  1626.     It  was  printed  in  London 
in  1626.— #. 

2  See  Anthony  Ambruster,  further  on. 

3  The  birthday  of  Deborah  Read  cannot  now  be  ascertained ;  she  was 
married  to  Franklin  1  Sept.,  1730,  and  died  19  Dec.,  1774.    The  head-stone 
of  John  Read,  who  died  2  Sept.,  1724,  found  under  the  Franklin  monu 
ments,  is  supposed  to  be  that  of  her  father.  The  two  are  always  mentioned 
as  Mr.  and  Miss  Read  in  the  notices  of  them.  There  is  a  pedigree  of  Frank 
lin's  descendants  in  the  N.  E.  Gen.  Register,  vm,  374.—  M. 


236          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

* 

In  1753,  Franklin  was  appointed  a  deputy  postmaster 
general  for  the  colonies.    In  1755,  be  received  a  commission 
as  colonel  of  a  regiment  of  militia,  and  after  the  defeat  of 
General  Braddock,  he  raised,  by  order  of  government,  a 
body  of  troops,  and  marched  them  to  the  western  frontier, 
then  invaded  by  the  enemy.     He  built  a  fort,  and  placed  a 
competent  garrison  in  it,  and  then  returned  to  Philadelphia. 
In  1757  he  was  appointed  agent  for  the  province  of  Penn 
sylvania,  and  in  this  capacity  went  to  England,  with  a 
petition  to  the  king.     He  remained  in  England  until  1762, 
when  he  returned  to  Philadelphia.     In  1764  he  again  \vent 
to  London  as  agent  for  the  province.     In  1766  he  visited 
Holland,  and  the  next  year  went  to  France.     While  in 
England,  he  was  appointed  agent  for  the  province  of  Massa 
chusetts  Bay.     Soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  revo 
lutionary  war  he  returned  to  America,  and  was  employed 
in  her  councils.     In  1776  he  was  appointed  to  assist  in  the 
negotiations  at  the  court  of  France,  and  went  to  Paris  for 
that  purpose  ;  and  in  1778  he  concluded  a  treaty  of  alliance 
between  that  cabinet  and  the  United  States  of  America. 
In   September,  1783,  he,  with  Mr.  Jay  and  Mr.  Adams, 
signed  at  Paris  the  articles  of  peace  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States,  with  Mr.  David  Hartley  on  the  part  of  Great 
Britain.     He  afterward  signed  articles  of  amity  and  com 
merce  between  this  country  and  Sweden,  and  Prussia.     In 
1784  he  returned  to  Philadelphia,     In  1786  he  was  elected 
president  of  the  supreme  executive  council  of  Pennsylvania^ 
and  was  soon  after  chosen  president  of  several  distinguished 
societies  formed  in  Philadelphia,  some  of  which  had,  by  his 
former  exertions,  been  greatly  aided  in  their  establishment, 
Franklin  was  celebrated  as  an  electrician  ;  but  as  my 
principal  object  is  only  to  take  notice  of  him  as  a  printer, 
I  must  refer  those  who  wish  to  be  acquainted  with  him  as 
a  philosopher,  to  his  Life  and  Works. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  237 

His  son,  William,  was  postmaster  in  Philadelphia  in 
1754 ;  clerk  of  the  assembly  of  Pennsylvania  in  1756  ; 
appointed  governor  of  New  Jersey  in  1762,  and  was  in  that 
office  when  the  revolutionary  war  began. 

The  following  anecdote,  wrhich  has  been  published  on 
both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  discovers  the  spirit  with  which 
Franklin  edited  his  paper,  and  marks  his  pointed  dislike 
of  prostituting  the  press  to  purposes  of  defamation  and 
scurrility. 

Soon  after  the  establishment  of  his  paper,  a  person 
brought  him  a  piece,  which  he  requested  him  to  publish 
in  the  Pennsylvania  Gazette.  Franklin  desired  that  the 
piece  might  be  left  for  his  consideration  until  next  day, 
when  he  would  give  an  answer.  The  person  returned  at 
the  time  appointed,  and  received  from  Franklin  this  com 
munication  :  "  I  have  perused  your  piece,  and  find  it  to  be 
scurrilous  and  defamatory.  To  determine  whether  I 
should  publish  it  or  not,  I  went  home  in  the  evening,  pur 
chased  a  two  penny  loaf  at  the  baker's,  and  with  water 
from  the  pump  made  my  supper ;  I  then  wrapped  myself 
up  in  my  great  coat,  and  laid  down  on  the  floor  and  slept 
till  morning,  when,  on  another  loaf  and  a  mug  of  water,  I 
made  my  breakfast.  From  this  regimen  I  feel  no  incon 
venience  whatever.  Finding  I  can  live  in  this  manner,  I 
have  formed  a  determination  never  to  prostitute  my  press 
to  the  purposes  of  corruption,  and  abuse  of  this  kind,  for 
the  sake  of  gaining  a  more  comfortable  subsistence."  ! 

The  following  facts  will  show  that  Franklin  retained  a 
regard  for  the  trade  until  the  close  of  his  life.  In  1788, 
about  two  years  before  his  death,  a  number  of  printers  and 


1  Bills  of  lading  formerly  began  with  "  Shipped  by  the  Grace  of  God," 
&c.  Some  people  of  Philadelphia  objected  to  this  phraseology  as  making 
light  of  serious  things.  Franklin  therefore  printed  some  without  these 
words  and  inserted  in  his  paper  the  following  advertisement:  "  Bills  of 
Lading  for  sale  at  this  office,  with  or  without  the  Grace  of  God.'1 


238          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

booksellers  met  together  in  Philadelphia,  to  form  some 
regulations  for  the  benefit  of  the  trade.  Bache,  grandson 
of  Franklin,  and  myself,  were  of  the  number.  After  the 
first  meeting,  I  conversed  with  Dr.  Franklin  on  the  subject  of 
our  convention.  He  approved  the  measures  proposed, 
and  requested  that  the  next  meeting  might  be  at  his  house, 
as  he  was  unable  himself  to  go  abroad.  The  meeting  was 
accordingly  holden  there ;  and  although  he  was  much 
afflicted  with  pain,  he  voluntarily  took  minutes  of  the  pro 
ceedings,  and  appeared  to  be  interested  in  them.1  He  evi 
dently  had  much  at  heart  the  success  of  his  grandson, 
who  was  then  printing,  at  the  recommendation  of  his 
grandfather,  an  edition  of  the  minor  classics. 

Franklin,  after  the  commencement  of  the  war,  brought 
from  Europe  a  very  valuable  printing  apparatus,  which  he 
purchased  in  London.  He  also  imported  the  materials  of 
a  type  founder}^,  which  had  been  used  in  Paris.  These 
articles  for  a  foundery,  though  extensive,  did  not  prove 
very  valuable.  He  put  the  whole  into  the  possession  of 
his  grandson,  Benjamin  Franklin  Bache,  who  for  some 
time  carried  on  book  printing,  but  eventually  published  a 
newspaper  well  known  by  the  name  of  The  Aurora  ;  and 
made  litttle  use  of  the  materials  for  the  foundery. 

In  1788,  Franklin  retired  from  public  business.  He 
had,  for  several  of  the  preceding  years,  been  troubled  with 
a  calculus,  which  increased  to  such  a  degree  as,  during  a 
few  months  preceding  his  death,  to  confine  him  to  his  bed. 
In  April,  1790,  he  was  seized  with  an  inflammation  of  the 
breast,  attended  with  a  fever,  which  terminated  his  earthly 
existence  on  the  19th  of  that  month,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
five  years.2  He  left  by  will  1,000/.  to  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 


1  Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  establish  rules  and  regulations  for 
the  benefit  of  the  trade,  but  they  have  generally  not  proved  successful. 

2  On  the  30th  of  April,  1800,  ten  years  after  his  death,  "  a  fete  was  cele 
brated  in  the  Temple  of  Victory,  at  Paris  [France]  in  memory  of  Ben- 


PENNSYLVANIA.  239 

and  the  same  sum  to  his  native  town  Boston.  These  sums 
were  to  be  loaned  annually  to  young  mechanics  of  a  cer 
tain  description  in  the  manner  and  on  the  conditions  by  him 
prescribed  for  one  hundred  years,  a  certain  part  of  the  pro 
ceeds  then  to  be  applied  to  particular  public  uses,  and  the 
other  part  again  loaned  for  another  hundred  years,  after 
which  the  final  amount  to  be  appropriated  for  the  benefit  of 
the  public  in  the  manner  directed  in  his  will.  He  be 
queathed  to  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital  the  old  debts  due  to 
him  as  a  printer,  stationer  and  postmaster  previous  to  the 
year  1757.  The  sums  are  small,  and  although  numerous, 
have  produced  little  or  nothing. 

Long  before  his  death,  he  wrote  the  following  epitaph 
upon  himself: 

The  Body  of 

Benjamin  Franklin,  Printer, 
(Like  the  cover  of  an  old  Book, 

Its  contents  worn  out, 
And  stript  of  its  lettering  and  gilding) 

Lies  here,  food  for  worms  ! 

Yet  the  work  itself  shall  not  be  lost, 

For  it  will,  as  he  believed,  appear  once  more 

In  a  new 

And  more  beautiful  edition, 

Corrected  and  amended 

By  its  Author. 

HUGH  MEREDITH  was  the  son  of  a  worthy  and  respectable 
farmer.  He  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  bred  to  hus 
bandry. 

Having  more  taste  for  books  than  for  agriculture,  at  the 
age  of  thirty  he  came  to  Philadelphia,  and  bound  himself  for 
several  years  as  a  pressman  to  Keimer.  He  was  with  him 


jamin  Franklin,  one  of  the  benefactors  of  humanity."  —  PublicisU  Paris 
paper.  Franklin's  father  died  in  Boston,  January  16, 1745.  Peter  Frank 
lin,  brother  to  the  doctor,  and  postmaster  in  Philadelphia,  died  in  July, 
1766,  aged  74. 


240          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

when  Franklin  returned  from  his  first  voyage  to  London. 
Franklin,  being  again  employed  in  Keimer's  office,  became 
intimate  with  Meredith.  Their  acquaintance  produced 
the  copartnership  of  which  an  account  has  already  been 
given.  Franklin  mentions  Meredith  as  "  honest,  sensible, 
having  some  experience,  and  fond  of  reading,  but  addicted  to 
drinking."  Meredith,  the  father,  aware  of  this  propensity 
in  his  son,  was  the  more  ready  to  promote  his  connection 
with  Franklin,  and  readily  helped  them,  in  the  hope  that 
Franklin,  whom  he  knew  to  be  temperate,  "  would  cure 
his  son  of  the  too  free  use  of  brandy."  Franklin,  however, 
in  that  attempt,  did  not  succeed.  He  soon  considered 
Meredith  as  a  dead  weight,  and  was  desirous  to  throw  him 
off,  which  he  effected  with  ease. 

Meredith  was  frank  and  ingenuous.  He  found  that  his 
partner  was  dissatisfied,  and  discovered  that  he  himself 
was  not  well  qualified  to  be  a  printer.  His  father,  owing 
to  some  recent  disappointments,  was  not  able  to  make  the 
last  payment  for  the  press  and  types,  now  become  due  to 
the  merchant  who  imported  them.  From  these  considera 
tions,  Meredith  was  induced  to  propose  a  dissolution  of 
the  partnership,  and  offered  to  relinquish  his  right  in 
the  stock  and  business,  on  the  moderate  condition  that 
Franklin  should  take  upon  himself  the  debts  of  the  com 
pany,  pay  Meredith  thirty  pounds  currency,  and  furnish 
him  with  a  new  saddle.  The  offer  was  gladly  embraced  ; 
the  necessary  writings  were  immediately  executed,  and  the 
partnership  was  dissolved.  Meredith  received  the  thirty 
pounds  and  the  saddle,  joined  a  number  of  his  Pennsyl 
vania  friends  who  were  farmers,  and  with  them  went  and 
settled  in  North  Carolina. 

DAVID  HARRY  was  born  in  Pennsylvania.  His  parents 
were  respectable,  and  his  connections  opulent.  He  served 
an  apprenticeship  with  Keimer,  and  had  just  completed  it 


PENNSYLVANIA.  241 

when  Keimer  was  obliged  to  sell  his  press  and  types. 
Harry  purchased  them,  and  succeeded  his  master  in  busi 
ness.  This  took  place  about  July,  1729. 

Franklin,  who  had  then  separated  from  Meredith,  was 
fearful  that  in  Harry  he  should  find  a  powerful  rival,  and 
was  induced  to  propose  a  partnership  to  him.  Harry  re 
jected  the  proposal  with  some  disdain.  Franklin  observes, 
that  "Harry  lived  extravagantly,  pursued  amusements, 
neglected  business,  and  business  neglected  him."  Before 
the  expiration  of  the  year  1730,  he  followed  his  late  master, 
Keimer,  to  Barbadoes,  and  took  with  him  his  printing 
materials. 

In  Barbadoes  Harry  began  printing,  and  employed 
Keimer  as  his  journeyman.  He  had  never  acquired  the 
habit  of  industry,  and  Barbadoes  was  not  a  place  calcu 
lated  to  cure  him  of  a  dissipated  course  of  life.  In  a  few 
months  he  became  deeply  involved  in  debt,  and  was  induced 
to  sell  his  press  and  types  to  Keimer,  who  found  friends 
to  assist  him  in  the  purchase.  Harry  returned  to  Pennsyl 
vania,  and  followed  husbandry. 

WILLIAM  BRADFORD  Third,  was  the  son  of  William 
Bradford  Junior,  and  grandson  of  the  first  William  Brad 
ford  who  printed  in  Philadelphia.  He  was  born  in  New 
York.  When  very  young,  his  uncle,  Andrew  Bradford, 
who  had  no  children,  adopted  and  educated  him  as  his  son 
and  heir,  and  instructed  him  in  the  art  of  printing.  When 
he  was  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  his  affectionate  foster 
mother,  the  wife  of  Andrew,  died,  and  some  time  after, 
his  foster  father  married  Cornelia  Smith,  of  New  York. 
She  had  an  adopted  niece,  whom  she  was  desirous  that 
William  Bradford,  the  adopted  nephew  of  her  husband, 
should  marry  when  he  became  of  age.  William's  affec 
tions  being  engaged  by  another  object,  the  plan  was  frus 
trated  ;  and,  in  consequence,  she  imbibed  a  settled  prejudice 
23 


242          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

against  him,  and  did  not  attempt  to  conceal  it.  She  treated 
him  unkindly,  and  finally  he  was  obliged  to  leave  the 
house  of  his  foster  father.  She  prevailed  on  her  husband 
to  revoke  the  will  which  he  had  made  in  favor  of  William, 
and  to  make  one  in  her  own  favor.  It  has  been  said,  that 
her  conduct  in  general  was  such  as  rendered  her  husband 
very  unhappy.  William  when  about  twenty  years  of  age 
became  the  partner  of  Andrew;  but  the  wife  caused  this 
partnership  to  be  dissolved,  after  it  had  continued  one 
year.  It  began  in  December,  1739,  and  ended  in  De 
cember,  1740. 1 

In  1741  Bradford  went  to  England ;  visited  his  rela 
tions  there  ;  returned  in  1742  with  printing  materials  and 
a  collection  of  books,  and  began  business  on  the  west  side 
of  Second  street,  between  Market  and  Chestnut  streets. 
In  the  same  year  he  married  the  daughter  of  Thomas  Budd 
who  was  imprisoned  with  the  first  William  Bradford  in 
1692.  In  December,  1742,  he  commenced  the  publication 
of  a  newspaper,  which  was  continued  by  him  and  his  suc 
cessors  until  after  the  year  1800.  In  1743,  he  removed  to 
the  southeast  corner  of  Blackhorse  alley,  where,  at  the 
sign  of  the  Bible,  he  printed  and  sold  books. 

In  1748  he  was  chosen  lieutenant  of  a  militia  company, 
and  in  1756  was  made  captain. 

In  1754  Bradford  removed  to  the  corner  of  Market  and 
Front  streets,  and  there  opened  a  house  for  the  con 
venience  of  the  commercial  part  of  the  community,  which 
was  called  the  London  Coffee  House.  In  1762  he  opened, 
in  company  with  a  Mr.  Ivydd,  a  marine  insurance  ofiice, 
where  much  business  was  done.  In  1766  he  took  his  son 
Thomas  as  a  partner  in  the  printing  business.  Their  firm 
was  WILLIAM  &  THOMAS  BRADFORD 


1  Those  circumstances  were  related  to  me  by  one  of  the  family. 

2  They  printed  the  journals  of  congress  in  177C.—  M. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  243 

Bradford  was  a  warm  advocate  for,  and  a  staunch  de 
fender  of  the  rights  of  his  country.  He  was  among  the 
first  in  the  city  to  oppose  the  British  stamp  act,  in  1765  ; 
and  he  was  equally  hostile  to  the  succeeding  offensive 
measures  of  the  British  ministry.  He  literally  complied 
with  a  resolve  of  the  early  revolutionists,  "  to  risk  life  and 
fortune  for  the  preservation  of  the  liberty  of  his  country  " 
by  taking  arms  in  an  early  stage  of  the  revolutionary  war ; 
and,  although  he  had  reached  the  age  at  which  the  law 
exempts  men  from  military  service,  he  encountered  the 
fatigues  of  a  winter  campaign,  and  did  duty  as  a  major  of 
militia  in  the  memorable  battle  of  Trenton.  He  shared 
the  honors  of  the  day  at  Princeton,  and  returned  colonel 
of  the  regiment  of  which  he  went  out  major.  He  was  at 
Fort  Miffiin  when  it  was  attacked  by  the  Hessians ;  and 
in  several  other  engagements.1 

A  few  days  before  the  British  troops  took  possession  of 
Philadelphia,  Bradford  was  entrusted  by  Governor  "Whar- 
ton  with  the  command  of  the  city,  and  the  superintend 
ence  of  removing  the  stores.  Having  performed  this  duty, 
he  left  the  city  as  the  enemy  was  entering  it,  and  re 
paired  to  Fort  Mifflin,  where  he  remained  until  that  fort 
ress  was  evacuated.  From  that  time  Bradford  remained 
at  Trenton  until  the  British  army  left  Philadelphia,  when 
he  returned  to  the  city,  and  reopened  his  printing  house 
and  coffee  room  ;  but  the  customs  and  manners  of  the 
citizens  were  changed,  and  he  perceived  that  business  had 
found  new  channels.  He  returned  from  the  hazards  of 
public  service  with  a  broken  constitution  and  a  shattered 


1  He  was  afterwards  appointed  deputy  commissary  general.  On  Sep 
tember  11,  1777,  congress  resolved :  "That  Major  General  Armstrong  be 
directed,  forthwith  to  cause  all  the  printing  presses  and  types  in  this  city 
and  Germantown,  to  be  removed  to  secure  places  in  the  country,  ex 
cepting  Mr.  Bradford's  press  in  this  city,  with  English  types."  Bui  it 
does  not  appear  that  this  resolve  was  carried  into  effect. 


244          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

fortune.  Ho  soon  lost  his  affectionate  wife.  Age  ad 
vanced  upon  him  with  hasty  steps,  and  a  paralytic  stroke 
warned  him  of  his  approaching  dissolution.  After  a  few 
more  feeble  attacks,  he  calmly  yielded  to  the  king  of  terrors. 

After  peace  was  established,  he  had  consoled  himself 
under  his  misfortunes ;  and,  in  his  most  solitary  hours,  re 
flected  with  pleasure,  that  he  had  done  all  in  his  power  to 
secure  for  his  country  a  name  among  independent  nations; 
and  he  frequently  said  to  his  children,  "  though  I  bequeath 
you  no  estate,  I  leave  you  in  the  enjoyment  of  liberty." 
He  was  a  very  respectable  printer. 

He  died  September  25,  1791,  aged  72.  His  body  was 
interred  in  the  Presbyterian  graveyard,  in  Arch  street; 
and  his  obsequies  were  attended  by  a  large  number  of 
citizens,  and  particularly  by  those  who  were  the  early  and 
steady  friends  of  the  revolution. 

Bradford  left  three  sons,  and  three  daughters.  His 
eldest  son,  Thomas,  has  been  mentioned  as  the  partner  of 
his  father.  The  second  son,  William,  studied  law,  became 
attorney  general  of  the  United  States,  and  died  August 
25,  1793;  Schuyler,  the  third  son,  died  in  the  East  Indies. 

CORNELIA  BRADFORD  was  the  second  wife,  and  eventually 
the  widow  of  Andrew  Bradford.  She  succeeded  her  hus 
band  in  the  business  of  printing  and  bookselling  in  1742. 
About  four  months  after  his  death,  she  took  Warner  as  a 
partner  in  the  concerns  of  the  printing  house.  The  firm 
was  ISAIAH  WARNER  &  CORNELIA  BRADFORD.  This  partner 
ship  lasted  only  till  October,  1744,  when  the  widow  resumed 
the  press,  and  continued  printing  until  1746,  at  which 
time,  or  soon  after,  she  retired  from  business.  She  died 
in  1755.  Her  estate  was  settled  by  George  Smith  and 
Cornelia  his  wife,  who,  on  the  llth  of  September  of  that 
year,  published  an  advertisement  for  that  purpose  in  The 
Pennsylvania  Journal. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  245 

ISAIAH  WARNER  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  and  served  his 
apprenticeship  either  with  Bradford  or  Franklin.  In  1742, 
he  opened,  in  Chestnut  street,  the  fourth  printing  house  in 
that  city;  and  published  Jacob  Taylor's  Almanack,  and 
several  small  works,  which  appear  to  be  well  executed. 
Soon  after  the  death  of  Andrew  Bradford,  Warner  entered 
into  partnership  with  his  widow.  This  partner  ship  ended 
in  the  autumn  of  1744.  I  have  seen  none  of  his  printing 
after  that  time,  and  cannot  find  any  further  account  of  him. 
At  the  close  of  this  year,  three  newspapers  were  printed 
in  Philadelphia,  viz. :  The  Mercury,  the  Gazette,  and  the 
Journal. 

GEORGE  BRINTAL.  I  am  not  sure  that  Brintal  was  a 
printer.  All  that  I  can  gather  respecting  him,  is,  that 
when  Warners  partnership  writh  Cornelia  Bradford  ceased, 
Brintal  managed  the  concerns  of  her  printing  house ;  and 
some  time  after  had  an  interest  in  the  publication  of  the 
American  Mercury.  I  have  not  found  his  name  in  the 
imprint  to  that  paper,  of  which  I  have  files  to  1746. 

JOSEPH  CRELLIUS.  In  1748,  he  lived  in  Market  street, 
but  the  same  year  removed  to  Arch  street.  He  was  a 
German,  and  printed  a  newspaper  weekly  in  his  native 
language.  He  kept  an  evening  school,  and  taught  the 
English  and  German  languages  grammatically. 

His  was  the  first  German  newspaper  published  in  Phila 
delphia.  I  cannot  learn  how  long  it  existed ;  but  it  was 
certainly  continued  several  years. 

GODHART  ARMBRUSTER.  He  was  from  Manheim,  Ger 
many,  where  he  served  his  apprenticeship  to  the  printing 
business.  He  came  to  Philadelphia  in  the  year  1743,  and 
soon  after  began  printing  in  the  German  language.  In 
1746,  he  advertised  several  small  books  from  his  press,  to 


246  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

be  sold  by  him  "  at  the  German  printing  house  in  Race 
street."  About  this  time  he  began  the  publication  of  a 
newspaper  in  German. 

His  brother,  Anthony  Armbruster,  was  for  some  time 
connected  with  him;  but  the  business  appears  to  have 
been  conducted  in  the  name  of  Godhart  till  1762,  when  it 
was  carried  on  by  Anthony.  A  few  years  after  Godhart 
returned  to  Europe,  where  he  died. 

DAVID  HALL  has  been  mentioned  as  the  partner  of 
Franklin.  He  was  born  in  Scotland;  and  brought  up  a 
printer  in  Edinburgh.  From  that  place  he  went  to  Lon 
don,  and  worked  in  a  printing  house  in  which  Strahan, 
afterward  a  famous  law  printer  to  the  king,  was  at  that 
time  a  journeyman.  After  Hall  came  to  this  country  he 
was  eighteen  years  in  partnership  with  Franklin ;  and,  in 
May,  1766,  when  that  connection  was  dissolved,  he  formed 
another  with  William  Sellers,  under  the  firm  of  HALL  & 
SELLERS.  Their  business  was  lucrative ;  they  printed  for 
government,  and  continued  the  Pennsylvania  Gazette. 
Besides  printing,  Hall,  before,  during,  and  after  his  partner 
ship  with  Franklin,  conducted  a  book  and  stationery  store 
on  a  large  scale,  on  his  own  account.  Had  he  not  been 
connected  with  Franklin  he  might  have  been  a  formidable 
rival  to  him  in  the  business  of  printing  and  bookselling. 
Hall  &  Sellers  were  the  printers  of  the  paper  money  issued 
by  congress  during  the  revolutionary  war. 

He  died  December  24,  1772,  aged  fifty  eight  years. 
Hall  was  well  acquainted  with  the  art  of  printing ;  and 
was  an  industrious  workman,  of  first  rate  abilities ;  a  pru 
dent  and  impartial  conductor  of  the  Gazette  ;  and  a  be 
nevolent  and  worthy  man. 

JAMES  CIIATTIN  printed  in  Philadelphia  as  early  as  1752. 
His  printing  house  was  "  in  Church- Alley,  next  door  to 


PENNSYLVANIA.  247 

the  Pipe."  He  was  employed  chiefly  on  pamphlets;  and 
was,  I  believe,  a  quaker.  In  1755  he  advertised  his  pub 
lications  at  reduced  prices,  for  sale  "  at  the  Newest  Print 
ing-Office  in  Market  Street,  South  Side  of  the  Jersey 
Market."  In  1771  he  informed  the  public  that  he  had 
long'  been  out  of  employment ;  and  that  he  proposed  to  do 
business  punctually,  and  with  secresy,  as  a  conveyancer 
and  bookkeeper,  and  had  taken  an  office  for  that  purpose 
in  Second  street.  After  being  several  years  a  master 
printer,  he  was  reduced  to  the  condition  of  a  journeyman. 

ANTHONY  ARMBRUSTER  was  born  in  Manheim,  in  Ger 
many  and  was  the  brother  of  Gotthart,  alias  Godhart, 
Armbruster,  who  has  been  mentioned  as  a  printer  of  books 
etc.,  in  the  German  language,  in  Philadelphia.  Anthony 
left  Germany  and  came  to  Philadelphia  with  his  brother, 
or  arrived  soon  after  him,  about  1743.  Whether  he  served 
a  part,  or  the  whole  of  his  apprenticeship  in  Germany,  is 
not  known,  but  he  was  employed  in  the  printing  house  of 
his  brother  many  years  after  his  arrival.  Although  his 
name  did  not  at  anytime  appear  in  copartnership  with  his 
brother,  they  were  thought  to  be  connected  together  in 
business  from  1748  to  1753. 

A  society  was  formed  in  London  for  the  benevolent 
purpose  of  "  promoting  religious  knowledge  among  the 
German  emigrants  in  Pennsylvania."  I  cannot  ascertain 
the  exact  time  when  this  society  was  instituted,  but  it  was, 
probably,  as  early  as  1740.  A  press  for  printing  religious 
tracts,  school  books,  etc.,  in  the  German  language,  was,  by 
this  society,  established  in  Philadelphia.  From  the  funds 
of  this  society  it  is  supposed  Joseph  Crellius  received  some 
aid  in  printing  a  newspaper  and  some  small  school  books 
in  the  German  language,  in  Philadelphia,  as  early  as  1743. 
Sower  of  German  town,  about  this  time,  was  assisted  in 


248          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

carrying  through  his  press  an  edition  of  the  German  trans 
lation  of  the  Bible. 

Crellius,  in  his  publication  of  a  German  newspaper,  was 
followed  by  Godhart  Armbruster,  and  he  was  succeeded  by 
his  brother  Anthony,  all  of  whom,  it  is  probable,  were 
printers  to  the  society,  and  made  use  of  their  press.  The 
fact  is  substantiated  as  relates  to  Anthony  Armbruster.1 

In  1753  the  business  was  conducted  by  him,  and  until 
1756,  in  Third  street.  He  there  printed  in  German,  The 
History  of  the  First  Martyrs,  326  pages,  12mo.  Also  The  True 
Christian's  Monument,  with  copper  plates.  Anthony  under 
stood  copper-plate  as  well  as  letter-press  printing.  The 
latter  he  could  perform,  as  was  then  fashionable,  with  two 
colors,  black  and  red.  In  this  way  he  printed,  for  several 
years,  his  German  Almanac.  Sower  of  Germantown,  at 
that  time,  printed  his  Almanac  in  like  manner,  but  both 
discontinued  the  practice  about  1758. 

Anthony  Armbruster,  in  1754,  entered  into  a  copartner 
ship  with  Benjamin  Franklin,  which  continued  till  1758. 2 
Part  of  the  time  Franklin  was  in  England.  In  Anthony's 
books  is  kept,  from  1754  to  1758,  an  account  current  with 
Benjamin  Franklin,  which  relates  to  the  German  office. 
Before,  and  for  the  first  two  or  three  years  of  the  partner 
ship  between  Armbruster  and  Franklin,  they  were  on  very 
intimate  terms.  Armbruster  named  one  of  his  children 
Benjamin  Franklin,  and  on  this  occasion  Franklin  stood 
its  godfather.  Armbruster  failed  in  business  while  Franklin 
was  in  England,  and  a  general  settlement  of  his  printing 


1  See  farther  on,  an  account  of  German  newspapers  published  in  Phila 
delphia. 

2  This  appeared  from  the  account  books  of  Armbruster,  in  the  posses 
sion  of  one  of  his  sons  who  resided  in  Philadelphia.    In  these  books  Arm 
bruster  charges  Franklin  for  translating  the  Almanac  into  German,  £200 
each  year;  4  years,  £800.    The  almanacs  were  charged  at  5s.  per  dozen  ; 
demy  paper  is  charged  at  12s.  per  ream ;  calf  skins,  Is.  per  pair. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  249 

concern  did  not  take  place  until  after  Franklin's  return,  in 
1762.  They  then  differed,  and  it  seems  were  no  longer 
friends.  Armbruster  soon  after,  to  ridicule  Franklin,  pub 
lished  a  caricature  print,  in  which,  within  a  group,  Franklin 
was  conspicuously  represented  in  a  very  ludicrous  situation. 

Anthony  Armbruster's  printing  materials,  in  1760,  passed 
into  the  hands  of  Lewis  Weiss  and  Peter  Miller,  neither  of 
whom  were  printers.  They  were  conveyancers,  and  both 
Germans.  They  continued  the  G-erman  paper,  and  Anthony 
was  their  printer  during  the  short  time  they  had  the  press. 

In  1762  Anthony  again  obtained  the  press  and  types 
which  had  been  used  by  Weiss  and  Miller,  or  otherwise 
procured  a  printing  apparatus,  for  in  July,  that  year,  he 
opened  a  printing  house  "  at  the  upper  end  of  Moravian 
Alley."  There  he  printed  German  school  books,  and  some 
^small  articles  in  English.  Mcholas  Hasselbaugh,  it  is  said, 
was  for  a  short  time  the  silent  partner  of  Anthony.  Whether 
Anthony  continued  the  publication  of  the  German  news 
paper  in  1763,  I  cannot  learn,  but  he  published  one  in  1764, 
when  the  press  was  removed  to  Arch  street.  Miller  at  the 
same  time  advertised  that  "  he  has  now  set  up  a  new  print 
ing  office  in  Moravian  Alley,  near  the  Brethren's  church." 
During  the  time  he  was  in  business,  Anthony  made  seve 
ral  removals,  and  at  one  time  he  resided  in  Race  street. 

Armbruster  again  failed  in  business,  and  could  not  re 
cover  his  standing  as  a  master  printer.  Again  his  press 
and  types  went  into  other  hands.  He  now  became  a  jour 
neyman,  and  was  employed  for  several  years  by  printers  in 
the  city ;  after  which  he  was  a  pressman  to  Isaac  Collins, 
in  Trenton,  New  Jersey.  After  remaining  some  considera 
ble  time  with  Collins,  he  returned  to  Philadelphia,  and 
from  thence  went  to  Germantown,  where  he  was  again 
employed  as  a  journeyman.  He  was  three  times  married. 
His  first  wife  was  a  good  worker  at  press,  and  often  assisted 
her  husband  in  that  employment. 
24 


250          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Anthony  was  naturally  very  superstitious,  and  after  he 
became  a  journeyman,  he  was,  at  times,  under  a  species  of 
insanity.  Many  accounts  are  given  of  his  extraordinary 
conduct  when  he  was  afflicted  with  mental  derangement. 
Like  many  others,  he  believed  that  Blanchard  and  other 
pirates  had,  in  their  time,  hid  money  and  other  treasures 
along  the  sea  coast  of  the  northern  part  of  this  continent, 
and  on  the  shores  of  the  Delaware  and  other  rivers.  With 
a  number  of  associates  he  spent  much  time  in  fruitless 
searches  after  that  which  they  could  not  find.  He  im 
agined  that  he  could,  by  a  special  charm,  raise  or  lay  the 
devil ;  notwithstanding  which  he  was  often  in  great  fear  and 
dread  of  a  visit  from  his  Satanic  majesty.  He  believed  in 
witchcraft,  and  was  in  fear  of  attacks  from  witches.  Like 
Baron  Swedenborg  he  apprehended  that  he  had  inter 
course  with  invisible  spirits.  Many  stories  are  related  of 
him  as  evidence  of  his  mental  delusion. 

He  died  at  German  town,  July,  1796,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
nine  years,  and  was  buried  in  the  Dutch  church  burying 
ground,  in  Fifth  street,  Philadelphia.  He  left  several 
children. 

WEISS  &  MILLER.  Lewis  Weiss  and  Peter  Miller  were 
Germans.  They  were  both  conveyancers,  and  unacquainted 
with  printing.  They  appear  to  have  been  friends  to  An 
thony  Armbruster,  and  in  1760,  when  he  failed  in  business, 
took  his  press  and  types,  and  employed  him  to  conduct 
the  concerns  of  the  printing  house.  The  German  Gazette 
was  continued,  and  the  printing  of  that  and  other  works, 
done  in  their  names,  for  about  two  years,  when  this  con 
nection  seems  to  have  dissolved,  and  Armbruster  again 
began  printing  on  his  own  account. 

Whilst  this  partnership  continued,  they  published  the 
German  Almanack  that  had  for  many  preceding  years  been 
printed  by  Armbruster.  The  imprint  to  that  for  1762  is, 


PENNSYLVANIA  .  251 

in  English,  thus  :  "  Printed  and  to  be  sold  at  the  High 
Dutch  Printing-House,  in  Race  street,  and  also  sold  by 
Peter  Miller,  and  by  distant  merchants."  At  the  end  of 
this  Almanac  is  an  advertisement  of  "  Peter  Miller,  in 
Second  street,  at  the  sign  of  the  hand  and  pen,  where  he 
writes  deeds,  &c.,  agreeably  to  the  latest  forms."  In  1762 
"Lewis  Weiss  and  Peter  Miller"  advertise  "just  pub 
lished  and  to  be  sold  by  them  in  Philadelphia,  the  char 
ters  and  acts,"  etc. 

The  same  year  William  Bradford,  David  Hand,  and 
Lewis  Weiss,  advertised  to  take  in  subscriptions,  at  their 
several  places  of  abode,  for  an  engraved  plan  of  the 
city  and  liberties  of  Philadelphia.  In  1764,  Armbruster 
advertises  his  intention  of  printing  "  a  new  edition  of 
Backmeyer's  English  and  Dutch  Grammar"  for  which  sub 
scriptions  were  received  by  himself,  and  several  others 
whose  names  are  mentioned.  Among  them  is  that  of 
Peter  Miller,  in  Second  street.  This  Peter  Miller  was 
called  a  man  of  wit.  He  was  for  many  years  employed 
by  the  city  proprietors  as  a  surveyor.  He  died  of  the 
dropsy,  in  1794,  and  was  buried  in  the  Quaker's  burying 
ground,  between  Third  and  Fourth  streets. 

Weiss  &  Miller,  August  12,  1762,  advertise"  Charters 
and  Acts  of  Assembly  from  the  first  settlement  of  the  pro 
vince,  and  collection  of  Laws  that  have  been  in  force,  etc., 

in  2  volumes,  to  be   had  either  in  folio  or price  40s. 

bound.     Published  by  Lewis  Weiss  and  Peter  Miller." 

ANDREW  STEUART  was  born  in  Belfast,  Ireland,  and  served 
his  apprenticeship  with  James  Macgee,  in  that  city.  He 
set  up  a  press  "  in  Lsetitia-Court,"  Philadelphia,  in  1758. 
His  business  was  confined  to  pamphlets,  ballads,  and  small 
jobs.  He  afterwards  lived  at  the  Bible-in-Heart  in  Second 
street,  between  Market  and  Arch  streets. 


252          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Steuart  was  not  over  nice  as  it  respected  the  publications 
of  others.  In  1762,  he  reprinted,  immediately  after  its 
first  appearance  from  the  press,  Science,  a  Poem,  by  Francis 
Hopkinson,  Esq.  This  poem  was  published  in  quarto, 
price  Is.  6d.  by  Dunlap,  Hall,  and  others.  Steuart's  edi 
tion  was  in  12mo.  and  he  advertised  it  for  sale  "  at  three 
pence  single,  one  shilling  per  dozen,  or  six  shillings  a  hun 
dred,"  with  this  remark,  that  as  his  "  object  was  to  promote 
the  circulation  of  this  excellent  piece,  he  hoped  that  neither 
the  author  or  anyone  else  would  imagine  that  he  intended  to 

"  Rob  him  of  his  gain," 

Or,  that  his  design  was 

"  To  reap  the  labour'd  harvest  of  his  brain." 

About  the  year  1764,  Steuart  went  to  Wilmington,  North 
Carolina,  with  a  press,  and  part  of  his  types  ;  and  he  left 
the  other  part,  and  his  book  shop,  in  the  care  of  Thomas 
Macgee  and  his  apprentice  Joseph  Crukshank.  He  never 
returned.  The  business  was  continued  in  Philadelphia,  in 
his  name,  until  he  died.  This  event  took  place  in  1769,  at 
Cape  Fear. 

He  owned  a  lot  of  land  in  Spruce  street,  and  had  accu 
mulated  other  property.  [See  North  Carolina.'} 

WILLIAM  DUNLAP  was  a  native  of  the  north  of  Ireland. 
He  served  his  apprenticeship  in  Philadelphia,  with  William 
Bradford.  In  1754,  he  began  printing  at  Lancaster;  but 
removed  from  thence  to  Philadelphia  in  1757,  and  married 
a  relation  of  Mrs.  Franklin,  wife  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  in 
consequence  of  which  connection  Franklin  appointed  him 
postmaster. 

He  opened  a  printing  house  and  bookstore  in  Market 
street,  and  did  considerable  business  as  a  printer,  bookseller 
and  stationer,  till  1765.  His  printing  was  correctly  and 


PENNSYLVANIA.  253 

handsomely  executed.  He  also  engaged  in  the  study  of 
divinity.  In  the  year  1766,  he  sold  off  the  principal  part  of 
his  stock  in  trade  at  auction,  resigned  the  management  of 
his  printing  house  to  his  nephew  John  Dunlap,  as  a  partner, 
and  went  to  England.  He  obtained  ordination  in  the 
church  of  England,  and  returned  to  America  in  1767;  and 
in  1768  became  the  rector  of  the  parish  of  Stratton,  in 
King  and  Queen's  county,  Virginia. 

He  printed  John  Jerman' s  Almanack  in  1757,  and  began  the 
publication  of  Father  Abraham's  Almanack,  which  he  con 
tinued  annually.  When  he  settled  in  Virginia,  he  resigned 
his  business  and  his  printing  materials  to  his  nephew  for 
an  ample  consideration,  to  be  paid  by  installments. 

HENRY  MILLER.  A  friend  of  his,  well  acquainted  with  his 
history,  has  informed  me  his  name  was  John  Henry  Miller  ; 
but  that  he  styled  himself  in  the  imprint  to  the  books  he 
published  in  Philadelphia,  Henry  Miller  only.  He  was 
born  in  the  principality  of  Waldeck  on  the  Upper  Rhine, 
March  12,  1702,  where  his  parents  then  resided.  In  1715, 
they  returned  to  their  native  place,  a  town  near  Zurich,  in 
Switzerland,  and  took  with  them  their  son  whom  they  ap 
prenticed  to  a  printer  in  Basle.  After  his  apprenticeship 
he  was  at  first  employed  in  a  printing  house  at  Zurich, 
but  soon  set  up  a  press  and  published  a  newspaper.  Quit 
ting  business  at  Zurich,  he  traveled  to  Leipsic  and  Altona ; 
from  thence  to  London ;  from  London  to  Amsterdam ;  then 
through  France  ;  and  again  to  Germany  and  Holland.  In 
1741  he  came  to  America,  and  was  for  sometime  in  Frank 
lin's  printing  house  in  Philadelphia.  In  1742  he  returned 
to  Europe ;  married  there  in  1743,  and  in  1744  opened  a 
printing  house  in  Marienburg,  Germany,  and  there  pub 
lished  a  newspaper.  His  residence  at  Marienburg  was  not 
of  long  continuance;  as  he  again  set  out  on  his  travels, 
visited  England  a  second,  and  Holland  a  third  time,  and 


254          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

returned  to  Germany.  In  1751  he  came  again  to  America, 
and  was  concerned  in  a  German  printing  house  in  Phila 
delphia  or  Lancaster ;  but  soon  after  was  employed  by 
William  Bradford.  In  1754  he  once  more  embarked  for 
Europe,  where  he  remained  until  1700,  when  he  returned 
to  Philadelphia  with  new  printing  materials  and  opened  a 
printing  house  in  Second  street. 

In  1762  he  began  the  publication  of  a  newspaper  in  the 
German  language,  which  he  continued  some  years  after 
the  revolutionary  war  ended.  He  published  annually  a 
German  almanac. 

He  printed  school  and  some  other  books  in  the  German, 
and  a  few  in  the  English  language;  and  dealt  considerably 
as  a  bookseller.  In  1771,  his  printing  house  was  "  in 
Race  Street,  opposite  Moravian  Alley."  In  1776,  he  com 
pleted  printing  in  six  volumes,  folio,  The  Votes,  etc.,  of  the 
General  assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  passed  in  many  of  the 
preceding  years. 

Miller  was  a  good  scholar  and  an  excellent  printer.  He 
corresponded  with  some  literary  characters  in  Germany 
and  Holland.  In  his  religion  he  was  a  Moravian,  and  in 
politics  a  whig.  He  was  a  warm  advocate  of  American 
liberty.  He  removed  from  Philadelphia  at  the  time  the 
royal  army  took  possession  of  the  city  in  1777.  He  left 
his  printing  materials  in  his  house.  These  were  used  by 
the  British  in  printing  proclamations,  etc.  They  carried 
off  part  of  them  when  they  left  Philadelphia.  After  they 
evacuated  the  city,  Miller  returned  to  it,  and  resumed  the 
publication  of  his  newspaper,  etc. 

On  the  26th  of  May,  1779,  he  discontinued  his  public 
journal,  and  at  that  time  published  a  farewell  address  to 
his  readers.  In  that  address  he  observed,  that  it  was  nearly 
fifty  years  since  he  first  published  a  newspaper  in  Switzer 
land  ;  that  he  had  been  obliged  to  continue  business  till 
that  time  of  life ;  that  he  was  then  approaching  the  age  of 


PENNSYLVANIA.  255 

fourscore  ;  but,  that  a  man,  when  he  arrives  to  his  sixtieth 
year,  should  commence  his  sabbath,  or  day  of  rest  from 
the  cares  and  troubles  of  this  life.  In  1780,  he  resigned 
business  altogether;  sold  his  printing  materials,  and  re 
tired  to  Bethlehem,  Pennsylvania.  He  died  there  March 
31,  1782,  aged  eighty  years.  His  wife  died  some  years 
before,  at  the  same  place.  She  was  a  well-bred  woman  ; 
spoke  the  French  language  fluently,  and  was  an  excellent 
painter  in  water  colors.  In  this  employment  she  was  for 
some  time  engaged  as  a  preceptress  in  Bethlehem.  Miller 
was  noted  as  a  pedestrian,  and  frequently  went  to  Bethle 
hem,  fifty-three  miles  from  Philadelphia,  and  returned  on 
foot.  Having  no  family,  he  bequeathed,  it  is  said,  a  part  of 
his  property  to  Melchior  Steiner,  who  had  been  his  ap 
prentice. 

JAMES  ADAMS  began  printing  in  Philadelphia  about  the 
year  1760  ;  and,  in  1761,  he  removed  to  Wilmington,  De 
laware.  [See  Delaware.'] 

THOMAS  BRADFORD  was  the  eldest  son  of  William  Brad 
ford,  the  second  printer  of  that  name  in  Philadelphia,  and 
was  born  on  the  4th  of  May,  1745.  Thomas's  mother  was 
daughter  of  Thomas  Budd,  who  sided  with  George  Keith, 
etc.,  in  their  opposition  to  Lieutenant  Governor  Lloyd  and 
his  party,  in  the  noted  quarrel  among  the  quakers  in  1692. 
Budd,  at  this  time,  was  arrested  and  imprisoned  with  the 
first  William  Bradford  for  writing  and  publishing  against 
the  prevailing  party  of  their  quaker  brethren.  Thomas 
was  named  after  his  father-in-law.  He  was  for  several 
years  in  the  college  at  Philadelphia ;  butin  1762,  his  father 
took  him  from  that  seminary,  and  placed  him  in  his  print 
ing  house;  and  in  1766,  received  him  as  a  partner  in  busi 
ness,  as  has  been  before  related.  Their  printing  house 
was  then  at  the  corner  of  Front  and  Market  streets.  The 


256          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

father  died  in  1791 ;  the  son  continued  the  business,  and 
published  a  daily  paper  in  Philadelphia,  till  1814. 

Thomas  Bradford  was  the  great  grandson  of  William 
Bradford,  who  first  printed  in  Pennsylvania,  and  who  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  colony. 

WILLIAM  SELLERS,  the  partner  of  David  Hall,  was  from 
England,  and  served  his  apprenticeship  in  London.  He 
began  business  about  1764,  and  kept  a  book  and  station 
ery  store  "  in  Arch  Street,  between  Second  and  Third 
Street."  On  the  death  of  David  Hall,  his  sons,  William 
and  David,  became  the  partners  of  Sellers.  The  firm  of 
HALL  &  SELLERS  was  continued,  and  printing  executed,  as 
usual,  at  the  old  stand  in  Market  street.1  Sellers  was  a 
correct  and  experienced  printer,  a  good  citizen,  well  known, 
and  as  well  respected. 

He  died  February,  1804,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 

WILLIAM  GODDARD  has  already  been  mentioned  as  a 
printer  at  Providence.  He  opened  a  printing  house  in 
Philadelphia,  November,  1766.  There  he  entered  into 
partnership  with  two  men  of  eminence  in  their  line,  Joseph 
Galloway,  by  profession  a  lawyer,  speaker  of  the  house 
of  assembly,  and  afterwards  a  delegate  to  congress,  and 
Thomas  Wharton  the  elder,  a  merchant  of  the  sect  of 
quakers ;  both  men  of  large  property  and  great  influence. 
They  were  to  suppty  a  capital  to  carry  on  business  exten 
sively,  and  each  of  them  to  own  a  quarter  part  of  the 
printing  materials,  and  to  draw  a  proportional  part  of  the 
profits.  Goddard  was  to  pay  for  and  to  own  half  of  the 
materials,  to  manage  the  concerns  of  the  printing  house 
in  his  own  name,  and  to  draw  one  half  of  the  proceeds  of 


1  "  The  Newest  Printing  Office"  on  the  board  over  the  door,  remained 
until  1814.     It  was  placed  there  by  Franklin. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  257 

trade.  The  last  clause  in  the  contract  between  the  par 
ties,  was,  from  the  political  character  of  Galloway  and 
"Wharton,  thought  to  be  singular ;  it  was  as  follows, 
viz.:  "In  case  Benjamin  Franklin,  Esq.,  [then  in  Eng 
land]  on  his  return  to  Philadelphia,  should  incline  to  be 
come  a  partner  in  the  business,  he  shall  be  admitted  as 
such  ;  and  in  that  case,  the  shares,  parts  and  proportions 
of  the  expense,  charges  and  profits  aforesaid,  shall  be  as 
follows,  viz.,  two  ninths  thereof  shall  belong  to  Joseph 
Galloway,  two  ninths  thereof  to  Thomas  Wharton,  two 
ninths  to  Benjamin  Franklin,  and  three  ninths  thereof  to 
William  Goddard."  Galloway  and  Wharton  were  strongly 
attached  to  the  measures  of  the  British  ministry,  but  cau 
tious  of  expressing  their  opinions.  The  firm  printed  for 
the  assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  and  published  a  newspaper, 
The  Pennsylvania  Chronicle,  which  for  some  time  bore  the 
appearance  of  impartiality ;  but  at  length  Mr.  Dickinson, 
author  of  the  celebrated  Farmer's  Letters,  and  several 
other  reputable  characters  on  the  side  of  the  country, 
were  violently  attacked  and  abused.  Galloway  and  others, 
behind  the  curtain,  wrote,  and  Goddard,1  who  was  tied  to 
the  pursestrings  of  his  partners,  was  compelled  to  publish 
as  they  directed.  Difficulties  soon  arose,  from  various 
causes,  between  the  members  of  this  partnership.  God 
dard  was  dissatisfied  with  the  power  which  Galloway  and 
Wharton  arrogated  over  him,  and  they  were  displeased 
with  his  management  of  the  paper,  and  other  concerns  of 
the  firm.  He  stated,  in  a  pamphlet  entitled  The  Part 
nership,  which  he  published  after  their  separation,  that 
they  threatened  to  ruin  him,  if  he  did  not  follow  their  di 
rections,  and  accede  to  their  proposal  to  admit  another 
partner  into  the  firm,  viz.,  Benjamin  Towne,  then  a  jour 
neyman  printer.  This  intended  partner  Goddard  knew 


See  his  account  of  the  partnership. 
25 


258          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

was  to  be  a  spy  upon  his  actions,  and  a  check  upon  his 
management  of  the  concerns  of  the  company ;  hut  he  was 
obliged  to  submit  and  receive  him  in  November,  1769. 
The  firm  of  the  company  was  now  GODDARD  &  TOWNE. 
In  July,  1770,  their  disagreement  grew  to  a  rupture ;  and 
after  a  connection  of  about  nine  months  with  Towne,  they 
separated. 

A  state  of  hostility  ensued,  and  newspapers,  handbills, 
and  pamphlets  were  filled  with  the  ebullitions  of  their  ani 
mosity.  Goddard  endeavored  to  prevent  the  reelection  of 
Galloway  to  a  seat  in  the  house  of  assembly,  but  failed ; 
for  although  Galloway  did  not  succeed  in  the  county  of 
Philadelphia,  he  obtained  his  election  in  the  county  of 
Bucks.  His  real  political  character  was  not  then  known, 
and  his  influence  continued  to  be  greater  than  Goddard 
could  counteract,  although  he  fought  like  a  veteran.  God 
dard  was  unable  to  answer  the  demands  of  the  creditors  of 
the  company,  who  were  urged  to  press  him  for  payment ; 
and  he  became  embarrassed,  but  was  enabled  to  leave  the 
city  honorably  in  1773,  and  go  to  Baltimore,  where  he 
hoped  to  obtain  business  more  lucrative,  and  a  residence 
more  tranquil.  He  succeeded  in  gaining  many  valuable 
friends  in  Maryland  and  the  states  adjacent. 

Goddard's  partners,  Galloway,  Wharton,  and  Towne, 
after  the  establishment  of  independence,  were  all  proscribed 
as  enemies  to  the  country,  by  the  legislature  of  Pennsylva 
nia.1  [See  Providence — Baltimore — Newspapers.'] 

JOHN  DUNLAP  was  born  in  the  north  of  Ireland.  He  was 
the  nephew  of  William  Dunlap,  by  whom  he  was  taught 


1  Galloway  fled  to  England  at  the  commencement  of  the  revolution,  and 
his  large  estate  was  confiscated.  Wharton,  who  had  more  prudence, 
remained  in  the  country.  He  had  many  worthy  connections,  and,  politics 
aside,  was  not  destitute  of  those  amiable  qualities  which  create  respect. 
His  estate  was  not  confiscated. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  259 

printing  in  Philadelphia.  When  William  went  to  Eng 
land  to  take  orders  for  the  church,  in  1766,  he  left  the 
management  of  his  printing  house  to  his  nephew,  who,  in. 
his  own  name,  conducted  the  business  for  their  joint  bene 
fit.  Book  printing  had  been  their  object ;  but,  after  the 
uncle  was  settled  in  the  church  at  Virginia,  he  resigned  the 
printing  house  and  its  concerns  to  John,  who  purchased 
the  printing  materials  and  printed  on  his  own  account,  and 
established  a  newspaper.  His  printing  house  was  "  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Jersey  Market."  In  1778  congress 
appointed  Dunlap  to  print  their  journals,  and  for  five  years 
he  continued  to  be  their  printer.  He  retired  from  busi 
ness  in  1795,  with  a  handsome  fortune  and  a  good 
reputation.  He  received  from  government,  as  payment 
for  printing,  several  lots  of  land  in  Philadelphia.  This 
land  when  it  came  into  his  possession  was  valued  at  only 
a  few  hundred  pounds,  Pennsylvania  currency;  but  the 
great  increase  of  buildings  soon  made  it  more  valuable, 
and  in  1809  he  sold  one  square,  extending  from  Market  to 
Chestnut  street,  and  from  Eleventh  to  Twelfth  street,  for 
more  than  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

Dunlap  executed  his  printing  in  a  neat  and  correct  man 
ner.  It  is  said  that,  whilst  he  conducted  a  newspaper,  he 
never  inserted  a  paragraph  which  wounded  the  feelings  of 
an  individual !  After  the  war  commenced,  in  1775,  he  was 
appointed  a  captain  of  a  company  of  horse  in  the  city 
militia.  In  1808  he  resigned  his  commission. 

Dunlap  died,  in  Philadelphia,  November  27,  1812,  of 
apoplexy,  aged  sixty  five.  His  funeral  was  attended  by 
the  field,  staff  and  commissioned  officers  of  the  first  brigade, 
first  division,  of  Pennsylvania  militia,  the  troop  of  horse  of 
which  he  was  formerly  commander,  and  by  a  large  con- 
coarse  of  other  citizens. 


260          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

BENJAMIN  MECOM  has  been  mentioned  as  a  printer  in 
Antigua,  Boston,  and  New  Haven.  He  removed  from  Con 
necticut,  and  opened  a  printing  house  in  Philadelphia,  in 
1768.  He  attempted  a  small  periodical  work,  which  will 
be  mentioned  with  the  newspapers  and  magazines  published 
in  that  city.  Afterwards  he  was  in  the  printing  house  of 
Goddard  in  Philadelphia,  and,  in  1774,  he  left  the  city, 
and  was  employed  by  Isaac  Collins,  at  Burlington,  New 
Jersey,  where  he  closed  his  typographical  career.  He  lived 
some  time  in  Salem  county,  and  finished  his  earthly  pilgrim 
age  soon  after  the  beginning  of  the  revolutionary  war. 

Mecom,  though  singular  in  his  manners,  and  deficient 
in  the  art  of  managing  business  to  profit,  was  a  man  of 
ingenuity  and  integrity ;  and  as  a  printer  he  was  correct 
and  skillful.  He  was  the  first  person  in  this  country,  as 
far  as  I  know,  who  attempted  stereotype  printing.  He 
actually  cast  plates  for  several  pages  of  the  New  Testament 
and  made  considerable  progress  towards  the  completion  of 
them,  but  he  never  effected  it. 

ROBERT  BELL  was  born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  where  he 
was  brought  up  to  book-binding.  He  then  went  to  Berwick- 
upon-Tweed,  and  worked  sometime  at  that  business;  after 
which  he  removed  to  Dublin  and  commenced  bookseller, 
and  had  an  extensive  trade ;  but  in  a  few  years  failed.  He 
married  in  Dublin,  and  was  for  some  time  the  partner  of 
George  Alexander  Stevens,  of  facetious  memory. 

He  came  to  America  about  the  year  1767,  and  esta 
blished  himself  first  as  a  book  auctioneer,  and  afterwards 
as  a  bookseller,  in  Philadelphia.  In  1772,  he  published 
Blackstone' s  Commentaries  in  four  volumes  octavo ;  in  which 
undertaking  he  was  supported  by  a  liberal  subscription. 
He  had  before  published  Robertson's  Charles  Fifth.  These 
two  works  may  be  considered  as  the  first  fruits  of  a  spirit 
of  enterprise  in  book  printing  in  that  city.  Soon  after  the 


PENNSYLVANIA.  261 

publication  of  JBlackstom's  Commentaries,  he  opened  a  print 
ing  house  in  Third  street,  where  the  Union  library  had 
lately  been  kept,  and  printed  several  other  works  of  less 
magnitude. 

Bell  was  the  publisher  of  the  celebrated  pamphlet  en 
titled  Common  Sense,  written  by  Thomas  Paine.  He  em 
ployed  Paine  some  time  afterwards  as  a  clerk,  etc.  When 
Common  Sense  was  committed  to  the  press,  there  was  a 
scarcity  of  paper ;  and  all  the  broken  quires  of  paper  in 
Bell's  warehouse  were  collected  and  culled  for  the  first  im 
pression.  The  work  had  a  very  rapid  sale,  went  through 
several  editions  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  republished  in 
all  parts  of  United  America. 

After  the  war  took  place,  Bell  became  celebrated  as  a 
book  auctioneer ;  and  as  such  was  known  from  Virginia 
to  New  Hampshire.  He  disposed,  in  that  way,  of  his 
"jewels  and  diamonds,"  in  New  York,  Boston,  Baltimore, 
Norfolk,  etc.1  He  was  a  thorough  bookseller,  punctual 
and  fair  in  his  dealings ;  and,  as  a  companion,  he  was 
sensible,  social  and  witty. 

He  left  Philadelphia  in  1784,  with  an  intention  to  visit 
Charleston,  South  Carolina,  where  he  had  sent  a  quantity 
of  books  to  sell  at  auction  ;  but  on  his  way  was  taken  sick 
at  Richmond,  Virginia,  and  died  there  September  23, 
1784,  aged  nearly  sixty  years. 

JOSEPH  CRUKSHANK  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  and 
served  an  apprenticeship  with  Andrew  Steuart.  He  was 
one  of  the  society  of  Friends,  and  printed  books  for  them 
as  well  as  for  his  own  sales.  He  opened  a  printing  house 
in  1769,  and  soon  after  a  book  and  stationery  store,  in 
Third  street,  near  Market  street,  in  company  with  Isaac 


1  His  advertisements  for  the  sale  of  books  by  auction,  were  commonly 
headed  with  "  Jewels  and  Diamonds  to  be  sold  or  sacrificed,  by  Robert 
Bell,  humble  Provedore  to  the  Sentimentalists." 


262  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Collins.  Their  firm  was  CRUKSHANK  &  COLLINS.  The 
partnership  continued  only  one  year,  when  it  was  dissolved, 
and  Collins  removed  to  Burlington. 

Crukshank  took  a  good  stand  in  Market  street,  and 
traded  very  considerably.  In  1772,  he  printed  for  Bell 
Blackstone' }s  Commentaries  in  four  volumes  octavo ;  also 
several  other  works  of  importance.  Fair  in  his  dealings, 
punctual  in  his  payments,  and  amiable  in  his  manners,  he 
was  greatly  esteemed  by  his  fellow  citizens. 

WILLIAM  EVITT,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  served 
an  apprenticeship  with  Andrew  Steuart.  In  1770,  he 
printed  "  at  the  Bible-in-Heart,  Strawberry-Alley,"  with 
the  press  and  types  which  had  been  Steuart's,  which  he 
purchased.  He  issued  proposals  for  publishing  weekly, 
on  Saturday  evening,  a  newspaper,  to  be  entitled  The 
Pennsylvania  Evening  Post.  This  paper  never  made  its 
appearance ;  but  one  of  the  same  title  was,  afterwards,  pub 
lished  by  Benjamin  Towne. 

I  can  find  no  other  particulars  of  Evitt  which  will  be 
creditable  to  the  trade.  He  was,  for  a  time,  a  journey 
man  ;  and,  afterwards,  became  a  soldier  in  the  American 
army,  and  died  in  the  service  of  his  country. 

WILLIAM  HALL  &  DAVID  HALL  Junior,  were  the  sons  of 
David  Hall,  and  were  taught  printing  by  their  father. 
After  his  death,  in  1772,  they  became  the  partners  of 
Sellers ;  and  the  firm  of  HALL  &  SELLERS  was  continued 
until  the  death  of  Sellers.  The  business  was  then  for  seve 
ral  years  managed  in  the  names  of  WILLIAM  &  DAVID  HALL. 
It  was,  afterwards,  transferred  to  WILLIAM  HALL  Junior. 
William  Hall  Senior,  was  for  several  successive  years,  a 
member  of  the  Pennsylvania  legislature. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  263 

JAMES  HUMPHREYS  Junior,  was  the  son  of  James  Hum 
phreys,  a  conveyancer,  etc.  He  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
received  an  education  at  the  college  in  that  city,  and  was 
there  placed  under  the  care  of  an  uncle,  to  study  physic ;  but 
disliking  the  profession,  he  became  an  apprentice  to  Wil 
liam  Bradford,  and  was  by  him  taught  printing.  Supplied 
with  good  printing  materials,  he  began  business  "  at  the 
lower  corner  of  Black-horse  Alley,  in  Front  Street,"  and 
in  January,  1775,  he  published  a  newspaper. 

Humphreys  printed  several  books  before  the  commence 
ment  of  the  revolutionary  war,  and  among  them  were 
Sterne's  Works  in  five  volumes,  duodecimo,  Wettenhall's  Greek 
Grammar,  corrected  for  the  use  of  the  college  in  Philadel 
phia;  and  afterwards,  Strictures  on  Paine 's  Common  Sense. 
Two  editions  of  the  last  work,  consisting  of  several  thousand 
copies  each,  were  sold  in  a  few  months. 

Humphreys  having  acted  as  clerk  in  the  court  of  chan 
cery,  and,  as  a  qualification,  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance 
to  the  British  king;  he,  on  that  account,  refused  to  bear 
arms  in  favor  of  his  country,  and  against  the  government 
of  England ;  and  was,  in  consequence,  denounced  as  a  tory. 
His  paper,  it  has  been  said,  was  under  the  influence  of  the 
British  government,  and  he  was  several  times  in  the  hands 
of  the  people.  He  had  done  no  injury  to  the  individu 
als  who  were  dissatisfied  with  his  political  opinions,  and 
from  them  he  received  no  essential  abuse.  Among  the 
whigs  he  had  good  friends,  one  of  whom  was  Doctor  Rit- 
tenhouse,  a  literary  character  well  known  in  our  country. 

Benjamin  Towne,  who  began  the  publication  of  The 
Evening  Post,  a  rival  paper,  was  not  friendly  to  Humphreys, 
and  published  a  number  of  pieces  calculated  to  excite  the 
popular  resentment  against  him.  November  16,  1776, 
Humphreys  was  attacked  by  a  writer  in  Towne's  paper 
under  the  signature  of  A  Tory.  Not  knowing  what  might 
be  the  consequence  of  these  assaults,  in  those  times  of 


264          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

commotion,  Humphreys  discontinued  his  paper,  quitted 
business,  and  went  into  the  country.  At  the  very  time 
Towne  published  these  pieces,  Humphreys  had  loaned 
him  the  paper  on  which  The  Evening  Post  was  published, 
without  any  prospect  of  payment. 

Humphreys,  thus  driven  from  Philadelphia,  remained 
in  the  country  till  the  British  army  approached  the  city ; 
and  then  returned  and  remained  there  while  it  was  pos 
sessed  by  the  British  troops  ;  with  whom  he  again  left  the 
city,  accompanied  the  army  to  New  York,  and  there  con 
tinued  as  a  merchant  until  the  establishment  of  peace. 
He  then  went  to  England,  procured  a  supply  of  good 
printing  materials,  and  after  some  time  went  to  Nova 
Scotia,  and  opened  a  printing  house  in  Sheiburne,  and 
published  a  newspaper  called  The  Nova  Scotia  Packet.  Not 
meeting  with  sufficient  encouragement,  the  Packet  was 
discontinued ;  he  closed  his  printing  and  employed  him 
self  as  a  merchant  at  Sheiburne ;  in  this  situation  he  re 
mained  until  1797,  when,  having  suffered  loss  by  French 
privateers,  he  again  returned  to  Philadelphia,  and  there 
opened  a  printing  house.  From  that  time  till  he  died  he 
was  employed  in  book  printing,  and  a  number  of  valuable 
works  have  come  from  his  press.  He  was  a  good  and  ac 
curate  printer,  and  a  worthy  citizen.  He  died  February 
10,  1810,  aged  sixty-three  years. 

His  sons,  who  succeeded  to  their  father's  business,  re 
linquished  it  in  1812,  and  the  stock  was  disposed  of  at 
auction.  Several  of  his  daughters  were  good  compositors, 
and  often  worked  at  the  case. 

BENJAMIN  TOWNE  was  born  in  Lincolnshire,  and  brought 
up  to  printing  in  England.  He  was  first  a  journeyman  to 
Goddard,  and  then  his  partner.  He  purchased  the  right 
which  Galloway  and  Wharton  had  in  the  printing  house 
managed  by  Goddard.  This  partnership  did  not  continue 


PENNSYLVANIA.  265 

a  year,  but  ended  in  1770.    In  1774,  Towne  opened  a  print 
ing  house  on  his  own  account. 

James  Humphreys  had  proposed  to  publish  a  news 
paper,  professedly  impartial.  Towne  immediately  issued 
a  proposal  for  another  paper.  It  was  supposed  that  Hum- 
phreys's  paper  would  be  in  the  British  interest.  Towne 
took  opposite  ground.  Both  papers  appeared  before  the 
public  in  January,  1775.  Suspicion  was  soon  excited 
against  Humphreys's  Ledger,  and  was  kept  awake  by  the 
publications  in  Towne's  Evening  Post.  In  less  than  two 
years  Towne  succeeded  in  obliging  Humphreys  to  discon 
tinue  the  Ledger  ;  and,  through  fear  of  popular  resentment, 
to  leave  the  city. 

Towne  remained  a  whig  until  the  British  army  took 
possession  of  Philadelphia ;  he  then  became  a  royalist. 
At  that  time  Humphreys  returned  and  renewed  the  Led 
ger.  Towne  continued  The  Evening  Post.  There  was  this 
difference  between  Humphreys  and  Towne  :  the  first  pos 
sessed  a  candid  mind,  and  was  apparently  guided  by 
moral  principle ;  Towne  appeared  to  be  artful,  and  gov 
erned  by  self  interest.  When  the  British  troops  evacuated 
the  city,  Humphreys  went  with  them.  Towne,  although 
proscribed  by  the  state  government  for  joining  the  royal 
standard,  remained;  and  again  adopted  the  language  of  a 
whig;  but  his  conduct  gained  no  friends  among  the  loyal 
ists,  and  it  lost  him  the  confidence  of  those  who  had  been 
his  patrons.  But  he  was  permitted,  without  molestation, 
to  pursue  his  business,  and  I  believe  he  continued  his 
paper,  which  was  handsomely  executed,  till  1782. 

When  congress  first  met  in  Philadelphia,  after  the  Brit 
ish  army  evacuated  it,  Doctor  Witherspoon,  who  was  then 
a  member,  went  into  the  bookstore  of  Aitkeu,  where  he 
met  with  Towne.  After  some  conversation,  Towne  re 
quested  the  doctor  to  furnish  him  with  intelligence  and 
26 


266          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

essays  for  the  Eccnwg  Post,  as  he  formerly  had  done.  The 
doctor  refused,  and  told  him  that  it  would  be  very  impro 
per  for  a  member  of  congress  to  hold  intercourse  with  a 
man  who  was  proscribed  by  law;  but  he  added,  "if  you 
make  your  peace  with  the  country  first,  I  will  then  assist 
you."  "How  shall  I  do  it,  doctor?"  "Why,"  answered 
the  doctor,  "write  and  publish  a  piece  acknowledging 
your  fault,  professing  repentance,  and  asking  forgiveness." 
"  But  what  shall  I  say?"  The  doctor  gave  some  hints; 
upon  which  Towne  said,  "Doctor,  you  write  expeditiously 
and  to  the  purpose ;  I  will  thank  you  to  write  something 
forme,  and  I  will  publish  it."  "Will  you?  then  I  will 
do  it,"  replied  the  doctor.  The  doctor  applied  to  Aitken 
for  paper  and  ink,  and  immediately  wrote,  "  The  humble 
Confession,  Recantation  and  Apology  of  Benjamin  Towne/7 
etc.  It  was  an  excellent  production,  and  humorously  iron 
ical;  but  Towne  refused  to  comply  with  his  promise  to 
publish,  because  the  doctor  would  not  allow  him  to  omit 
some  sentences  in  it.  It,  however,  made  its  appearance, 
some  time  after,  in  several  newspapers;  and,  passing  for 
the  genuine  work  of  Towne,  raised  his  reputation  as  a 
writer.  When  Doctor  Witherspoon's  works  were  pub 
lished,  this  recantation  was  among  them.  Appendix  11. 

Towne  was  not  deficient  in  intellect  and  was  a  decent 
workman.  He  was  a  bon  vivant,  but  he  did  not  possess  the 
art  of  accumulating  and  retaining  wealth.  He  died  July 
8,  1793. 

ROBERT  AITKEN  was  born  at  Dalkeith,  in  Scotland,  and 
served  a  regular  apprenticeship  with  a  bookbinder  in 
Edinburgh.  He  came  to  Philadelphia,  as  a  bookseller,  in 
1769;  returned  to  Scotland  the  same  year,  came  back  to 
Philadelphia  in  1771,  and  followed  the  business  of  book 
selling  and  binding,  both  before  and  after  the  revolution. 
In  1774,  he  became  a  printer.  In  1775,  he  published  a 


PENNSYLVANIA.  267 

magazine,  and  in  1782,  an  edition  of  the  Bible,  small  duo 
decimo,  on  a  brevier  type.  This  edition,  said  to  be  the  first 
printed  in  America,  which  is,  however,  a  mistake,1  was 
recommended  to  the  public  by  congress,  as  a  pious  and 
laudable  undertaking  in  the  existing  state  of  the  country. 
A  copy  of  this  resolve  of  congress  is  printed  at  the  end  of 
the  Old  Testament.  Imprint  —  "  Philadelphia,  Printed 
and  sold  by  R.  Aitken,  at  Pope's  head,  above  the  Coffee 
House  in  Market  street,  MDCCLXXXII." 

After  the  revolutionary  war  he  printed  several  valuable 
works.  Among  them  were  the  first  three  volumes,  in 
quarto,  of  The  Transactions  of  the  American  Philosophical  S)- 
ciety.  He  had  a  son  bred  to  printing,  who  was  some  time 
his  partner. 

Aitken  died  in  July,  1802,  aged  sixty-eight  years.  For 
thirty-one  years  he  had  been  a  citizen  of  Philadelphia. 
He  was  industrious  and  frugal.  His  printing  was  neat  and 
correct.  In  his  dealings  he  was  punctual,  and  he  acquired 
the  respect  of  those  who  became  acquainted  with  him. 

Jane  Aitken,  his  daughter,  continued  his  business.  She 
had  in  1810  a  printing  house  in  Philadelphia;  and  printed 
Thompson's  Translation  of  the  Bible,  in  four  volumes,  octavo. 
The  printing  was  well  and  handsomely  executed.  She 
obtained  much  reputation  by  the  productions  which  issued 
from  her  press. 

STORY  &  HUMPHREYS.  Enoch  Story,  the  elder,  and 
Daniel  Humphreys,  were  copartners.  They  began  print 
ing  "  in  Morris's  alley,  near  Front  Street,"  in  1775.  The 
well  known  Joseph  G-alloway,  once  the  partner  of  God- 
dard,  in  order  to  promote  his  political  views,  is  said  to  have 
procured  the  materials  of  a  printing  house  for  Story,  who 
took  Humphreys,  not  then  engaged  in  business,  into  part 
nership.  Their  chief  employment  was  a  newspaper,  which 


1  See  Printers  in  Cambridge,  Boston  and  Germantown. 


268          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

they  had  published  but  a  few  months  when  their  printing 
house  and  materials  were  burnt,  and  their  partnership 
was  in  consequence  dissolved.  Story  was  bred  a  mer 
chant,  but  was  unfortunate  in  mercantile  affairs,  and  un 
successful  in  other  business. 

Daniel  Humphreys,  son  of  Joshua  Humphreys,  served 
his  time  with  William  Bradford,  and  was  a  fellow  appren 
tice  with  James  Humphreys  ;  but  they  were  not  related. 
Daniel,  some  time  after  his  misfortune  by  fire,  opened 
another  printing  house  ;  and  from  June,  1783,  to  July,  1784, 
was  a  partner  of  Ebenezer  Oswald  in  the  publication  of  the 
Independent  Gazetteer;  and  afterwards  began  another  news 
paper,  which  he  published  several  years.  The  typography 
of  this  paper  was  neatly  executed.  He  had  a  printing 
house  in  Philadelphia  till  1811;  was  noted  as  a  good  proof 
reader,  and  in  this  business  was  often  employed.  He  died 
June  12,  1812. 

ENOCH  STORY,  the  younger,  was' the  kinsman  of  Enoch 
Story,  who  was  the  partner  of  Daniel  Humphreys.  He  served 
his  apprenticeship  with  William  Hall,  and  began  business 
at  Baltimore.  In  1775,  and  for  some  time  after,  he  was  a 
job  printer  in  Strawberry  alley,  Philadelphia.  He  died  in 
Baltimore. 

JOHN  DOUGLAS  MACDOUGALL,  printed  in  Chestnut  street, 
in  Philadelphia,  in  1775,  and  probably  before  that  time. 
He  was  not,  I  believe,  long  or  largely  in  trade.  He  was 
born  in  Ireland,  and  had,  previously  to  engaging  in  busi 
ness  in  this  city,  worked  in  the  printing  house  of  John. 
Waterman,  Providence,  Rhode  Island.  He  died  in  New 
York,  August,  1787. 

SAMUEL  DELLAP,  printed  several  small  works,  which  he 
sold  at  his  shop  u  in  Front  street,  between  Market  and 


PENNSYLVANIA.  269 

Arch  streets,"  in  1771,  and  after.  About  the  year  1792,  he 
sold  books  by  auction  in  an  outhouse  belonging  to  the 
Black  Horse  Tavern,  in  Market  street,  north  side,  between 
Fourth  and  Fifth  streets.  In  this  place  he  died  of  the 
yellow  fever  in  1793,  aged  about  fifty-three  years. 

He  went  frequently  to  New  York,  where  he  advertised 
his  publications,  and  collected  old  books ;  these  he  sold  at 
auction  in  Philadelphia. 

MELCHIOR  STEINER  AND  CHARLES  CIST.  Stein er  was  born 
in  Switzerland.  He  was  the  son  of  the  Rev.  John  Conrad 
Steiner,  who  came  to  Philadelphia,  and  was,  for  some  time, 
pastor  of  the  Dutch  Presbyterian  church  in  Race  street. 
He  served  his  apprenticeship  with  Henry  Miller,  and  suc 
ceeded  him  in  business.  Cist  was  born  in  St.  Petersburgh, 
Russia,  where  he  received  a  good  education,  and  was  brought 
up  a  druggist  and  apothecary,  and  afterwards  studied  phy 
sic.  He  came  to  America  in  1769,  and  engaged  with 
Henry  Miller  as  a  translator  of  English  into  German  ;  by 
continuing  in  the  employment  of  Miller  several  years  he 
acquired  a  considerable  knowledge  of  printing.  These 
two  entered  into  partnership  under  the  firm  of  STEINER  & 
CIST.  They  executed  book  and  job  woi'k,  in  both  the  Ger 
man  and  English  languages,  "in  Second  street,  at  the 
corner  of  Coat's  alley."  This  copartnership  was  of  short 
continuance.  Not  long  after  the  commencement  of  the 
revolutionary  war,  they  published  a  newspaper  in  the  Ger 
man  language;  but,  for  want  of  sufficient  encouragement, 
it  was  discontinued  in  April,  1776. 

They  left  Philadelphia  when  the  British  army  approached 
it;  and  returned  when  it  was  evacuated  in  1778.  In 
1779  they  published  a  German  newspaper.  In  1781  they 
dissolved  their  copartnership.  Steiner  con  tinned  the  paper 
three  or  four  years,  but  by  neglecting  business,  became 
poor.  Cist  pursued  it  prudently,  and  acquired  considera- 


270          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Lie  property.  When  the  seat  of  government  was  removed 
to  Washington,  Cist  carried  his  press  there,  remained  with 
it  several  years,  and  built  two  or  three  houses  in  that  city. 

Cist  died  near  Bethlehem,  December  1,  1805,  and  was 
buried  in  the  Moravian  churchyard,  in  that  place. 

Steiner  ceased  to  be  a  master  printer,  and  became  a 
clerk  in  a  public  office,  in  1791.  lie  died  in  Washington 
in  the  winter  of  1807,  aged  about  fifty  years. 

In  1810  there  were  in  the  county  and  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  fifty-one  printing  houses,  one  hundred  and 
fifty-three  printing  presses,  and  seven  paper  mills.1 

The  first  press  established  west  of  the  Allegany,  was  in 
Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  in  1786,  by  John  Scull,  under 
the  patronage  of  Judge  Brackenridge. 

GERMANTOWN. 

CHRISTOPHER  SAUER,  ALIAS  SOWER.  This  eminent  printer 
was  born  in  the  town  of  Lauterburg,  in  Germany,  in  the 
year  1694.  The  business  he  was  bred  to  was  that  of  a  tailor. 
He  came  to  America  in  1724,  and  took  up  his  residence  in 
German  town,  where  for  some  time  his  principal  employment 
was  making  button  molds,  which  he  found  to  be  profitable. 
He  followed  various  other  occupations  for  fourteen  years 
after  his  arrival,  but  had  no  concern  in  printing.  He  left 
Germantown,  and  was,  at  one  time,  engaged  as  a  farmer; 
at  other  times  was  concerned  in  casting  stoves  at  a  furnace 
near  Reading,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  discovered  great  in 
genuity  in  casting.  After  being  several  years  absent  from 
Germantown,  he  returned  to  that  place,  and  for  some  time 
lived  with  a  noted  German  doctor  by  the  name  of  Witt, 
who  was  commonly  called  a  conjuror.  From  this  man, 
Sower  gained  some  medical  knowledge.  At  length  by 
accident  he  became  a  printer. 


^lease's  Picture  of  Philadelphia,  published  1811. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  271 

The  Baptists,  or  Tankers,  in  Germany,  raised  by  sub 
scription,  a  sum  of  money,  in  order  to  purchase  religious 
books  and  disperse  them  among  their  poor  friends  in  Penn 
sylvania,  and  to  establish  a  press  there  to  print  for  the  same 
purpose.  Accordingly  a  press  and  types,  with  a  quantity 
of  books,  were  sent  out  and  intrusted  to  the  management 
of  a  German  Baptist  by  the  name  of  Jacob  Gaus.  He  was 
to  have  the  use  of,  and  the  emolument  arising  from  the 
press,  on  condition  that  he  should  distribute  a  certain  num 
ber  of  copies  of  each  of  the  religious  books  he  should  print, 
among  the  poor  Germans.  This  person  did  not  possess 
the  ability  necessary  for  the  undertaking,  and  no  other 
person  who  was  thought  to  have  sufficient  ability  for  the 
purpose  was  found  to  take  his  place.  The  business  wTas 
suspended  and  the  press  and  types  viewed  as  useless  lum 
ber.  At  length  Sower  appeared,  and  was  so  fortunate  as 
to  get  the  press,  types,  and  the  books l  into  his  possession, 
though  not  without  much  opposition.  He  was  opposed  by 
the  friends  of  Gaus,  and  particularly  by  Alexander  Mack, 
the  first  minister,  and  the  spiritual  father  of  all  the  Tun- 
kers,  or  German  Baptists,  at  that  time  in  Pennsylvania. 
The  transfer  of  the  property  being  made  to  Sower,  he 
immediately  began  business  according  to  the  benevolent 
intentions  of  those  who  were  at  the  expense  of  the  esta 
blishment.  The  German  books  sent  over  were  distributed 
gratuitously  among  the  poor.  The  press  was  set  to  work 
on  religious  tracts,  and  a  proportion  of  them  given  away. 
Others  were  sold,  and  produced  a  profit  to  the  printer.  In 
a  short  time,  Sower  so  managed  the  concern  as  to  gain  the 


!It  is  uncertain  whether  these  were  from  the  society  formed  in  England 
for  diffusing  religious  information  among  the  German  settlers,  or  from  a 
similar  society  in  Germany,  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  one  or  more 
presses  were  established  in  Pennsylvania  by  pious  friends  in  Europe ;  and 
that  not  only  the  press  at  Germantown,  but  that  at  Ephrata,  was  supported 
for  this  purpose. 


272  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

approbation  even  of  his  opposers.  The  ingenuity  of  Sower, 
his  great  attention  to  the  establishment,  with  the  aid  of 
some  good  workmen  whom  he  procured  from  Germany, 
soon  placed  the  business  on  a  respectable  footing,  and  it 
became  profitable  to  him.  In  1738  he  published  a  German 
Almanac.  This  was  the  first  in  that  language  printed  in 
the  country.  It  was  continued  annually  by  him  and  his 
successors,  for  forty  years.  In  the  year  1739  he  published 
a  small  newspaper  in  German  ;  and  in  1743,  he  issued  from 
his  press,  on  a  German  long  primer  type,  and  in  that 
language,  an  edition  of  the  Bible,  in  4to.  This  was  the 
second  Bible  printed  in  British  America.  The  first  was 
the  Indian  translation,  from  the  press  in  Cambridge, 
Massachusetts,  as  early  as  1663.  Sower's  edition  of  the 
German  Bible  was  nearly  three  years  in  the  press.  The 
price  to  subscribers  was  only  fourteen  shillings  currency, 
bound ;  but  it  was  to  others  twenty  shillings.  This  was 
the  largest  work  that  had  issued  from  any  press  in  that 
colony,  and  it  was  not  equalled  for  many  years  after.  The 
edition  consisted  of  a  thousand  copies.1 

Sower  printed  a  number  of  minor  works  in  German, 
and  Juvenal  in  English.  For  those  in  English  he  employed 
a  proof  reader,  as  he  never  could  acquire  the  correct  or 
thography  of  the  language. 

After  he  printed  the  Bible,  he  erected  a  mill  for  manu 
facturing  paper,  and  was,  for  a  short  time,  concerned  in 
that  business ;  and  also  in  that  of  book  binding. 

When  particular  sorts  of  his  types  were  deficient,  he 
contrived  to  cast  new  ones  as  they  were  wanted.  In  short, 
his  ingenuity  enabled  him  to  complete  the  manufacture  of 
any  article  which  he  undertook.  It  is  said  he  was  suffi 
ciently  adroit  at  sixteen  different  trades  or  avocations,  by 


1  For  a  bibliographical  account  of  this  edition  of  the  German  Bible,  see 
O'Callaghan's  List  of  Editions  of  the  Iloly  Scriptures,  pp.  xii,  32.  et  seq. —  M. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  273 

following  either  of  which  he  could  secure  a  maintenance. 
Among  them  were  those  of  stove  caster,  farmer,  clock- 
maker,  tailor,  distiller,  farrier,  apothecary,  paper  maker, 
tanner,  tin  plate  worker,  lampblack  maker,  printers'  ink- 
maker,  bookbinder  and  printer.  To  the  last  of  these  he 
was  particularly  attached ;  as  an  evidence  of  which,  he 
desired  on  his  death  bed,  that  the  printing  business  might 
always  continue  among  his  descendants ;  and  that  some 
one  or  other  of  them  would  acquire  and  practice  the  art. 

He  was  religious  in  the  temper  of  his  mind,  and  quiet 
in  his  deportment.  Although  inclining  to  Mennonism, 
he  was  called  a  Separatist;  but  in  fact,  did  not  join  any 
particular  sect. 

He  married  in  Germany.  His  wife  died  December  24, 
1752.  He  died  September  25,  1758,  aged  sixty-four,  and 
was  buried  in  his  own  land,  at  the  back  of  his  dwelling 
house  in  German  town.  He  had  but  one  child,  a  son,  who 
succeeded  him  in  business. 

CHRISTOPHER  SOWER  JUNIOR,  was  born  in  Witgenstein, 
near  Marburg  in  Germany,  and  was  only  three  years  of  age 
when  he  arrived  in  Philadelphia  with  his  father,  by  whom 
he  was  employed  in  various  occupations  until  1738,  when 
his  father  commenced  printing ;  he  was  then  instructed  in 
that  art. 

He  commenced  business  as  a  bookbinder  some  years 
before  the  death  of  his  father,  but  at  his  decease  he  suc 
ceeded  him  in  the  printing  house.  This  was  in  1758, 
when  he  was  thirty-seven  years  old.  He  continued  the 
establishment  on  an  enlarged  scale,  printed  many  valuable 
books,  and  published  a  weekly  newspaper.  In  1763,  he 
finished  a  quarto  edition  of  the  Bible,  in  German,  on  a 
pica  type  ;  and  completed  another  in  1776. l  The  types  for 

1  For  a  particular  account  of  Bibles  and  Testaments  printed  in  America, 
see  O'Callaghan's  List  of  American  Bibles. — H. 
27 


274          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

that  last  mentioned,  were  cast  at  his  own  foundery.  This 
foundery  was  the  first  of  the  kind  in  British  America. 
The  materials  for  it  he  received  from  Germany  in  1772.1 

In  1773  he  built  a  paper  mill  on  the  Schuylkill,  and 
manufactured  both  writing  and  printing  paper.  He  had 
previously  established  a  bindery.  He  made  printing  ink 
of  the  best  quality,  and  excellent  lampblack  for  this  pur 
pose.  His  presses  were  made  under  his  own  inspection, 
in  his  extensive  establishment.  Thus  the  various  branches 
of  business  necessary  to  complete  a  printed  book  were  exe 
cuted  by  him,  or  by  his  own  immediate  workmen.  Most 
of  these  branches  he  could  perform  himself,  and  at  some 
of  them  he  was  a  first-rate  workman.  He  possessed  in  this 
respect  the  genius  of  his  progenitor.  The  printing  exe 
cuted  at  his  German  press  was  both  neat  and  correct. 
His  ink  was  remarkably  good. 

Besides  the  various  branches  of  bookmaking,  he  dealt 
in  drugs  and  medicines.  Of  these  articles  he  imported  and 
sold  large  quantities.  He  conducted  his  business  with 
high  reputation.  His  influence  in  the  community,  espe 
cially  among  the  Germans,  was  very  extensive.  No  medi 
cines  could  be  esteemed  effectual,  unless  procured  at 
Sower's  apothecary  shop ;  no  almanac,  unless  published 
by  him,  could  be  correct  in  time  and  weather ;  and  no 
newspaper  promulgated  truth  but  Christopher  Sower's 
German  Gazette.  As  an  instance  of  his  popularity  among 
his  neighbors,  it  is  mentioned  that  at  the  time  when  there 
was  a  warm  contention  between  the  people  of  Pennsylva 
nia  and  the  proprietors,  the  quakers,  who  were  desirous  of 
obtaining  some  exclusive  privileges,  had  an  ascendency  in 
the  legislature,  to  which  body  they  had  petitioned.  A  new 
election  was  approaching.  The  petition  of  the  quakers 
was  unpopular  with  those  who  were  not  of  that  sect. 


1  See  Type  Foundries  in  America,  vol.  i.  p.  28. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  275 

Sower,  in  his  German  Gazette,  zealously  opposed  the  peti 
tion,  and  at  the  time  of  the  election  of  new  members,  at 
the  head  of  three  hundred  qualified  voters,  proceeded  in 
regular  order  from  Germantown  to  Philadelphia,  and  suc 
cessfully  supported  the  candidates  opposed  to  the  quakers. 
This  happened  about  the  year  1760,  and  appears  to  be  the 
only  instance  of  his  taking  such  an  active  part  in  political 
affairs. 

In  1777  he  gave  up  the  management  of  the  printing 
house  to  two  of  his  sons.  He  possessed  by  inheritance  from 
his  father,  and  from  his  own  exertions,  an  independent 
estate,  and  was  inclined  to  quit  the  fatigues  of  business 
and  the  further  pursuit  of  wealth,  and  pass  the  remainder 
of  his  life  in  religious  repose.  He  is  represented  as  well 
balanced  in  his  temper ;  in  his  disposition,  pacific ;  in  his 
habits,  industrious  and  plodding ;  in  conduct,  exemplary ; 
and  in  religion  a  saint,  commanding  respect,  and  the  silent 
and  sullen  veneration  even  of  the  most  profligate.  "  Such 
was  the  even  tenor  of  his  way."  But  "  man  is  born  to 
trouble  as  the  sparks  fly  upward."  The  days  of  his  afflic 
tion  approached.  Often  does  the  mariner,  after  a  long  and 
successful  voyage,  approach  within  view  of  his  desired 
haven,  when  suddenly,  by  adverse  gales,  on  an  unseen 
rock,  he  suffers  shipwreck.  Sower  now  began  to  exped 
ience  such  trying  scenes  as  would  prove  his  fortitude  as  a 
man,  and  test  his  virtue  as  a  Christian. 

It  does  not  appear  that  he  actually  declared  himself, 
during  the  revolutionary  struggle,  either  for  or  against  the 
colonists.  It  rather  seems  that  he  was  disposed  "  to  sub 
mit  to  the  powers  that  be  for  conscience  sake."  The  Tun- 
kers,  or  German  Baptists,  were  generally  rich.  Men  of 
property  are  at  all  times  generally  opposed  to  a  revolution. 
It  was  supposed  that  Sower  and  his  Christian  brethren 
wished  to  remain  neutral,  and  that  they  consented  "  rather 
to  bear  the  ills  they  had,  than  to  fly  to  those  they  knew 


276          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

not  of."  His  property  was  greatly  injured  by  the  war ; 
particularly  by  the  battle  of  Germantown.  The  war  had 
commenced  in  favor  of  the  British,  and  it  was  uncertain 
how  the  contest  would  end. 

His  son  Christopher  had  rendered  himself  obnoxious  to 
the  whigs,  and  had  fled  to  the  enemy.  He  and  other 
friends  of  Sower  had  alarmed  his  fears,  and  strongly  in 
sisted  on  his  going  for  safety  to  Philadelphia,  then  in  pos 
session  of  the  British  troops.  Whatever  might  lead  him 
to  the  measure,  true  it  is  that  on  the  nineteenth  of  Octo 
ber,  1777,  fifteen  days  after  that  battle  he  deserted  his 
home,  and  went  into  the  city.  He  remained  there  till 
May  23,  1777,  [?  8],  when  he  returned  to  Germantown. 
This  was  twenty-four  days  before  the  enemy  evacuated 
Philadelphia.  After  his  arrival  he  was  arrested  in  his  own 
house.  This  measure  was  justified  by  his  having  been 
with  the  British  army.  "With  an  inflamed  and  exasperated 
populace  this  was  sufficient  proof  of  his  being  a  traitor. 

They  went  to  him  and  demanded  his  signature  to  the 
oath  prescribed  by  congress.  He  replied  that  he  would 
cheerfully  swear  allegiance  to  the  state,  but  could  not,  con 
sistently  with  his  religious  faith,  engage  to  perform  all 
which  that  oath  required.  He  was  therefore  made  a 
prisoner  and  taken  to  the  American  army  and  confined  five 
days.  He  was  afterwards  released  on  parole,  and  allowed 
to  reside  in  Mathatchen,  twenty-one  miles  from  German- 
town.  While  in  durance,  before  he  reached  the  army,  some 
ill-disposed  persons  deprived  him  of  his  remarkable  and 
full  grown  beard,  and  otherwise  maltreated  him.  Whilst  a 
prisoner  with  the  army  he  had  to  endure  other  indignities 
from  the  soldiers.  He  bore  all,  however,  with  Christian 
resignation. 

One  circumstance,  rather  extraordinary,  took  place  at 
this  time,  which  has  often  been  mentioned,  and  the  fact 
attested,  both  by  his  friends,  and  those  who  were  then 


PENNSYLVANIA.  277 

his  political  enemies.  He  was  denuded  at  the  camp  by 
the  soldiers,  then  arrayed  in  tattered  regimentals,  and  pa 
raded.  His  pantaloons  were  seized  by  a  soldier  who  put 
them  on  his  own  limbs.  A  short  time  after,  this  soldier 
was  seized  with  agonizing  pains  in  all  parts  of  his  body, 
and  exclaimed :  "  I  can  neither  live  nor  die  !  I  am  in  tor 
ment.  Take  off  the  old  man's  trowsers,  that  I  may  die  !" 
They  were  taken  off,  and  the  soldier  presently  expired. 
The  cause  that  produced  the  pains  and  sudden  death  of 
the  soldier  is  not  stated.  By  some  of  the  friends  of  Sower, 
who  esteemed  him  a  saint,  this  incident  was  thought  to 
be  a  judgment  of  God  for  the  cruelty  with  which  he  had 
been  treated. 

He  returned  to  Mathatchen  on  the  twenty-third  of 
June,  1778.  While  he  remained  there,  the  court  for  the 
confiscation  of  estates  opened  its  session  in  the  town  of 
Lancaster,  whither  all  those  concerned  were,  by  public 
advertisement,  notified  to  appear  during  the  month  of 
June,  and  show  cause,  if  any  they  had,  why  final  proceed 
ings  as  to  their  estates  should  not  be  taken.  His  case 
came  on  at  this  court  the  very  day  he  arrived  in  German  - 
town.  A  newspaper  was  rarely  seen  in  German  town  at 
that  time,  and  not  having  seen  the  notification  he  knew 
nothing  of  the  sitting  of  the  court  until  it  was  too  late  for 
him  to  make  his  appearance.  His  estate  was  confiscated, 
and  neither  he  nor  his  friends  had  faith  enough  to  petition 
the  court  on  the  subject.  This  was  a  fatal  blow  to  the 
fortunes  of  Sower.  Had  he  appeared  in  court  this  stroke 
might  have  been  arrested.  As  no  overt  act  could  be 
alleged  against  him,  his  property  to  the  amount  of  90,000 
dollars,  might  have  remained  in  his  hands  It  was  now 
seized,  and  soon  after  sold  at  auction  at  a  very  low  rate. 
Besides  his  house,  lands,  drugs,  medicines,  paper,  and 
types,  all  his  books,  bound  and  in  quires,  were  sold. 
Among  the  books  in  sheets  was  the  greater  part  of  his 


278          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

edition  of  the  German  Bible,  consisting  of  a^thousand  copies. 
These  went  off  by  the  hammer  for  less  than  a  quarter  of 
the  price  of  a  like  quantity  of  ordinary  wrapping  paper. 
The  books  were  in  the  German  language,  with  which  the 
very  few  persons  who  attended  the  sale  in  order  to  make 
purchases  were  acquainted,  and  they  placed  but  little 
value  on  the  articles.  His  printing  materials  and  book 
stock  were  purchased  by  a  printer  from  the  city,  who  did 
not  know  their  value.  Instead  of  having  the  book  stock 
bound,  he  sold  a  part  of  it  to  be  used  as  covers  for  cart 
ridges,  proper  paper  for  that  purpose  being  at  that  time 
not  to  be  obtained.  Thus  what  was,  at  first,  intended  for 
the  salvation  of  men's  souls,  proved  eventually  the  de 
struction  of  their  bodies. 

Sower's  property  was  seized  on  the  twenty-seventh  of 
July,  1778.  When  the  officers  came  to  his  house  for  this 
purpose  he  was  at  breakfast.  They  began  to  take  an  in 
ventory  of  his  property,  and  demanded  his  keys.  He  de 
livered  them  with  much  composure,  only  observing  that 
if  they  had  a  better  right  to  them  than  himself,  they  must 
take  them.  The  day  following  he  received  notice  to  quit 
the  premises,  and  he  took  a  final  leave  of  his  home  and  of 
his  effects,  and  went  to  the  house  of  his  brother-in-law, 
Henry  Sharpnach,  in  the  same  town.  Here  Sower  resided 
two  years,  and  employed  himself  in  binding  books.  In 
addition  to  his  misfortunes,  having  been  in  extensive 
trade,  he  had  many  debts  due  to  him,  which  were  now 
cancelled  in  continental  bills.  These  were  a  lawful  tender, 
but  had  depreciated  in  value  at  the  rate  of  ninety  dollars 
in  bills  to  one  dollar  in  specie.  But  he  was  otherwise 
treated  by  some  of  his  Christian  brethren.  He  had  con 
siderable  sums  in  their  hands  and  they  paid  him  the  full 
value  of  the  sums  which  they  had  borrowed. 

His  type  foundery,  having  been  in  the  possession  of 
Justin  Fox,  the  master  workman,  and  kept  and  used  in 


PENNSYLVANIA.  279 

buildings  in  the  neighborhood  occupied  by  him,  was  on 
this  account  supposed  to  be  his  property,  and  thus  escaped 
confiscation.1 

It  was  the  opinion  of  many  of  Sower's  friends,  that  when 
the  war  should  end  he  would  be  indemnified  for  the  loss 
he  sustained.  For  this  reason  neither  he  nor  his  friends 
interfered  in  the  sales  of  his  confiscated  property. 

A  German  bookbinder  in  German  town,  by  the  name  of 
Siebert,  and  his  son-in-law  Michael  Breemeyer,  who  shortly 
after  established  himself  as  a  printer  in  that  place,  hearing 
that  the  Bible  sheets  were  selling  for  the  use  already  men 
tioned,  went  to  Philadelphia  and  repurchased  what  re 
mained,  and  also  a  part  of  the  printing  materials.  They 
recommenced  the  printing  business  in  Germantown. 
They  reprinted  such  parts  of  the  Bible  as  had  been  de 
stroyed,  and  having  completed  the  purchased  copies,  they 
bound  and  sold  them. 

The  greater  part  of  Sower's  types  had  been  wantonly 
mixed  and  thrown  together  in  heaps.  Several  thousand 
pounds  weight  were  afterwards  sold  by  the  person  who 
purchased  them  at  auction,  to  Justin  Fox,  Sower's  type 
founder  in  Germantown. 

He  had,  cast  and  standing  in  his  printing  house,  types 
for  the  whole  of  the  German  hymn  book.  After  he  com 
pleted  his  last  issue  of  the  quarto  edition  of  the  Bible, 
his  foundery  was  engaged  in  casting  types  sufficient  to  keep 
the  whole  Bible  standing.  The  battle  of  Germantown 
put  a  stop  to  this  proceeding  when  the  work  was  nearly 
complete. 

Sower  removed  from  the  house  of  his  brother-in-law  in 
1780  to  Mathatchen.  He  kept  house  at  this  place,  assisted 
by  his  daughters. 

He  was  fond  of  walking,  and  preferred  that  mode  of 


1  See  the  article,  Type  Pbunderies. 


280          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

traveling  to  riding.  It  is  said  he  usually  progressed  on 
foot  four  miles  an  hour.  Within  a  fortnight  before  his 
death,  he  walked  on  a  sabbath  morning,  twelve  miles  from 
his  home,  up  to  Shippack,  to  supply  the  pulpit  for  his 
Christian  brethren  in  that  place.  After  the  religious  ser 
vices  for  the  day  were  over,  he  returned  home  on  foot. 
On  this  day,  it  has  been  said,  he  appeared  to  have  a  pre 
sentiment  of  his  approaching  dissolution,  as  he  observed  to 
the  congregation,  in  the  course  of  his  preaching,  that  this 
was  the  last  time  he  could  perform  that  service  for  them. 

At  the  request  of  a  worthy  member  of  congress,  the  Hon. 
Frederick  Augustus  Muhlenburgh,  afterwards  speaker, 
he  drew  up  a  statement  of  his  sufferings.  This  was  com 
pleted  eight  days  before  his  death,  when  he  observed  that 
he  had  "  now  finished  nearly  all  he  had  to  do."  The 
minister  who  preached  his  funeral  sermon  mentioned  that 
to  him  Sower  had  foretold  his  death,  and  that  two  of  his 
sons  would  speedily  follow  him.1 

His  working  hours  at  Mathatchen  were  employed  in 
binding  books  ;  and  this  business,  it  appears,  was  to  be  the 
means  by  which  his  pilgrimage  on  earth  was  to  be  ended. 

He  had  undertaken  to  bind  some  of  the  same  quarto  Bibles 
which  he  had  last  printed,  and  which  had  been  repurchased, 
lie  began  the  process  of  binding  these  books  by  the  labor 
ious  employment  of  beating  them,  as  is  usual,  and  impru 
dently  completed  as  much  of  this  work  in  half  a  day  as  is 
usually  done  in  a  whole  day.  The  weather  was  warm,  and 
by  this  exertion  he  became  overheated.  He  went  out  to 
a  spring  where  he  drank  so  freely  of  water  as  to  produce 
a  fit  of  apoplexy,  which  soon  after  terminated  his  mortal 
existence. 

He  was  a  rigid  and  exemplary  member  of  the  society 
called  Tunkers,  a  sect  of  the  German  Baptists,  and  em- 


1  This  prediction  was  fulfilled. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  281 

braced  their  creed,  not  by  education,  but  by  conversion, 
and  was  ordained  a  minister  in  their  religious  assemblies, 
June  10, 1753.  His  wife  and  some  of  his  children  were 
church  members  of  the  same  society. 

He,  with  a  number  of  his  friends  of  this  sect,  had  at  one 
time  agreed  not  to  marry,  but  to  devote  their  time  as  much 
as  possible  to  religious  duties.  Sower,  however,  was  the 
first  to  annul  this  agreement,  and  married  in  1751.  His 
wife  died  in  1777. 

The  rapid  emigration  of  Germans  to  Pennsylvania  may 
in  considerable  degree  be  attributed  to  Sower  and  his 
father.  The  letters  which  they  wrote  and  sent  to  the  land 
of  their  nativity,  gave  such  a  favorable  representation  of  the 
climate  of  the  province,  where  land  was  so  easily  to  be 
obtained,  as  induced  great  numbers  of  their  countrymen, 
with  their  families,  to  emigrate,  and  settle  there. 

Sower  was  a  very  conscientious  printer.  The  Associate 
Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania  (or,  Seceders,  as  sometimes 
called)  ordered,  about  the  year  1765,  that  some  of  their 
actions,  or  something  of  the  kind,  should  be  published,  and 
deputized  John  Fulton,  a  papermaker  of  Oxford  township, 
near  Lancaster,  to  engage  the  printing.  Fulton  called  on 
Sower  to  have  it  done.  "  My  friend,"  replied  Sower,  "  I  do 
not  print  everything.  If  irreligious,  or  otherwise  danger 
ous,  I  always  refuse ;  but  if  you  will  leave  the  piece  for  my 
perusal  I  will  give  you  an  answer."  Fulton  called  again, 
and  Sower  informed  him  he  would  gladly  print  the  piece. 

Sower  was  remarkably  temperate  and  regular  in  his 
habits.  He  never  drank  ardent  spirits,  was  very  economi 
cal,  rose  at  four  in  the  morning,  and  spent  an  hour  in 
devotional  exercises.  At  five  his  whole  family  were  called 
up  and  proceeded  to  their  various  employments. 

He  died  August  26,  1784,  aged  sixty-two  years,  leaving 
eight  children — five  sons  and  three  daughters.     On  his 
28 


282          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

tombstone  in  the  burying  ground  of  the  Menn'onists  in 
Mathatchen,  the  following  lines  are  sculptured,  viz  : 

"  Death,  thou  hast  conquered  me, 
'  Twas  by  thy  darts  I'm  slain ; 
But  Christ  shall  conquer  thee, 
And  I  shall  rise  again. 

"  Time  hastens  on  the  hour, 

We  just  shall  rise  and  sing, 
0  Grave  !  where  is  thy  power  ? 
0  Death  !  where  is  thy  sting?  " 

CHRISTOPHER  SOWER  THIRD,  was  brought  up  a  printer 
by  his  father,  Christopher  Sower  Junior,  and  was  for  some 
time  concerned  with  him  in  business.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  German  Baptist  church,  and  of  the  sect  called 
Tunkers,  from  which  he  withdrew,  and  left  the  United 
States  with  the  British  army,  at  the  close  of  the  revolu 
tionary  war. 

In  1777,  his  mother  dying,  his  father  resigned  the 
management  of  the  printing  house  to  Christopher  and 
his  brother  Peter.  Soon  after  this  connection  in  business 
commenced,  the  troubles  occasioned  by  the  war  increased, 
especially  in  the  neighborhood  of  Germantown,  and  caused 
at  first  temporary  suspension,  and  soon  after  a  total  end 
to  their  business  in  Germantown.  On  the  fourth  of  Octo 
ber,  of  this  year,  the  day  on  which  the  battle  was  fought 
in  this  place,  they  fled  to  Philadelphia.  Till  this  time  they 
continued  the  German  newspaper,  and  had  printed  the 
German  Almanack  for  1778.  This  was  the  40th  number 
of  this  annual  publication  which  had  issued  from  the  press 
of  the  Sowers.  This  ended  the  partnership  of  these 
brothers.  They  had  both  become  obnoxious  to  their 
countrymen  by  speaking  and  acting  in  favor  of  the  enemy. 
Peter  remained  in  Philadelphia  till  it  was  evacuated  by 
the  British  army.  He  then  went  to  New  York,  and  be- 


PENNSYLVANIA.  283 

came  a  student  in  physic.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  left 
that  city  in  a  vessel  for  New  Providence,  where  he  died 
soon  after  his  arrival. 

Christopher  the  third  did  not  possess  the  prudence  of  his 
father  or  his  grandfather.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war  he 
warmly  espoused  the  cause  of  the  country,  and  thus  became 
popular;  but  he  soon  turned  to  the  opposite  side,  and  so 
conducted  as  to  endanger  the  safety  of  his  person.  It  is 
said  this  change  in  him  was  effected  by  the  instigation  of 
Joseph  Galloway,  who  was  an  intimate  in  the  family,  and 
a  notorious  adherent  to  the  cause  of  the  British  govern 
ment.  He  was  a  man  of  influence,  a  member  of  the 
Pennsylvania  legislature,  and  had  for  some  years  preced 
ing  been  the  silent  partner  of  William  Goddard  in  the 
publication  of  the  Pennsylvania  Chronicle.1  He  was  a  man 
who  was  possessed  of  handsome  talents,  and  he  conducted 
his  Gazette  with  ability,  though  with  severity  against  his 
countrymen. 

Christopher  resumed  the  publication  of  the  Germantown 
Gazette,  in  Philadelphia,  as  soon  as  he  could  get  his  press 
and  German  types  for  the  purpose.  This  business  was 
speedily  accomplished,  and  the  paper  was  published  till  the 
British  army  removed  from  that  city  to  Xew  York. 

Sometime  after  the  battle  of  Germantown,  a  detachment 
of  the  British  army  left  Philadelphia,  and  for  some  forage, 
or  other  purpose,  proposed  to  pass  through  Germantown, 
and  return  by  the  ridge  road.  Sower  3d,  having  some  pri 
vate  business  to  transact,  took  advantage  of  this  escort  to 
proceed  to  his  former  residence,  to  obtain  some  papers  of 
family  importance.  He  stepped  into  his  house,  obtained 
the  papers,  and  was  proceeding  to  join  the  detachment, 
when,  unapprehensive  of  danger,  he  was  apprehended 
opposite  the  market  house,  by  Capt.  Coleman,an  officer  in 


1  See  an  account  of  that  public  journal  in  the  second  volume. 


284          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

the  American  army,  who  was  lurking  for  stragglers.  Sower 
was  then  taken  to  the  American  camp,  detained  five  weeks, 
and  then  exchanged.  Captain  Coleman  was  an  active  par 
tisan.  He  lived  many  years  after  the  war,  in  Third  street, 
opposite  to  the  Golden  Swan  tavern. 

When  Sower  3d  was  brought  to  headquarters,  General 
"Washington,  after  some  interrogatories,  addressed  him 
thus :  "  Well,  Mr.  Sower,  you  will  be  likely  now  to  get 
some  sour  sauce."  Sower  would  not  have  been  exchanged 
at  all,  or  at  least  not  so  soon  as  he  was,  but  for  the  occur 
rence  of  a  fortunate  incident.  He  had  somehow  received 
information  of  George  Lusk,  a  powder  manufacturer, 
being  at  a  certain  place  unprotected.  Lusk  had  been  a 
next  door  neighbor  to  Sower,  and  was  now  the  princi 
pal  person  on  whom  the  Americans  depended  for  a  supply 
of  gunpowder.  SowTer  knew  the  estimation  in  which,  he 
was  held,  and  instantly  formed  the  plan  for  making  him  a 
prisoner,  in  order  to  effect  his  own  release.  The  plan  suc 
ceeded  and  Lusk  was  taken  prisoner,  and  some  time  after 
exchanged  for  Christopher,  who  returned  to  Philadelphia. 
Threats  were  given  out  against  the  lives  of  both  ;  but  an 
even  exchange  was  at  length  effected.  They,  perhaps, 
owed  their  lives  to  each  other. 

Christopher  went  to  New  York  with  the  British  army, 
and  sometime  after  embarked  in  a  ship  of  war  for  Eng 
land.  He  returned  to  New  York,  where  he  remained 
till  the  war  was  ended.  He  visited  England  again  ;  after 
remaining  there  two  years,  he  went  with  his  family  to 
New  Brunswick,  and  there  published  The  Royal  Gazette. 
He  was  appointed  postmaster  for  that  province,  and  he 
obtained  a  colonel's  brevet  from  the  British  government, 
which  entitled  him  to  half  pay  for  life. 

In  1779  he  left  that  colony,  and  went  in  search  of  health, 
and  to  visit  his  brothers,  to  Baltimore,  where,  shortly  after 
his  arrival,  he  was  attacked  with  apoplexy  and  died  on 
the  third  of  July  of  that  year,  aged  forty-six. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  285 

DANIEL  SOWER,  another  brother  of  Christopher  3d,  was 
by  profession,  a  papermaker,  and  after  his  apprenticeship 
was  ended,  conducted  the  mill  built  by  his  father.  This 
mill  was  given  to  Daniel  by  his  father,  but  the  legal  con 
veyance  not  having  been  made,  the  property  was  confis 
cated  and  sold  as  the  property  of  the  father.  Daniel 
purchased  another  mill,  but  within  a  short  time  after,  sold 
it,  and  turned  his  attention  to  agriculture  in  Chester 
county,  Pennsylvania. 

DAVID  SOWER  was  also  brother  to  Christopher  3d.  He 
acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  art  of  printing,  and  estab 
lished  a  printing  house  in  Norristown,  Pennsylvania,  and 
there  published  a  newspaper,  which  he  relinquished  to  his 
son  Charles  in  1711.  ?  (1811.)  After  which  David  opened 
a  store  in  Mathatchen  ;  besides  which  he  now  pursued  the 
business  of  a  farmer. 

SAMUEL  SOWER,  the  youngest  brother  to  Christopher, 
was  brought  up  a  housewright,  and  settled  on  Chestnut  hill, 
near  Germantown.  He  then  became  a  printer,  and  also 
an  apothecary.  In  1794,  he  removed  to  Baltimore,  where 
he  attended  to  the  business  of  printing  and  bookselling 
till  1804,  when  he  commenced  a  type  foundery  in  copart 
nership  with  "William  Gwynn.  He  afterwards  purchased 
the  foundery  which  had  been  owned  by  his  father  and 
worked  by  Justus  Fox.  He  continues  now,  [1815]  the 
type  making  business  in  Baltimore,  under  the  firm  of  S. 
Sower  &  Co.  Samuel  is  an  ingenious  mechanician.  He 
cast  the  diamond  type  for  a  small  pocket  Bible  which  was 
lately  printed  in  that  city.  To  this  type  he  added  an 
italic.  Diamond  italic  has  not  been,  I  believe,  attempted  in 
Europe,  unless  very  recently. 

Of  Christopher's  three  sisters,  one  died  in  infancy,  another 
in  two  or  three  years  after  her  father,  and  the  third  is  now 
[1815]  living. 


286  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

The  treaty  of  peace  in  1803  would  have  enabled  Christo 
pher  Sower,  the  second  of  that  name,  to  have  recovered  a 
part  of  his  landed  estate,  but  as  the  Tunkers  will  not,  in 
any  case,  commence  lawsuits,  he  received  no  benefit  from 
the  provision  made  in  the  treaty  for  those  in  his  situation  ; 
and  it  is  added  that  several  of  the  children  received  some 
compensation  from  the  British  government. 

See  note  at  the  end  of  the  volume  in  relation  to  Christo 
pher  Sower,  3d. 

LANCASTER. 

MILLER  &  HOLLAND  were  copartners  in  a  printing  es 
tablishment  in  Lancaster  in  1751.  They  printed  some  small 
works  in  the  German  language,  and,  in  1752,  published  a 
newspaper  in  German  and  English.  This  firm  was  of  short 
continuance.  In  1753  I  find  that  a  book,  then  lately  pub 
lished,  was  advertised  for  sale  "  by  Samuel  Holland,  printer 
in  Lancaster,  and  no  mention  was  made  of  Miller.1 

WILLIAM  DUNLAP,  began  printing  in  Lancaster  in 
1754,  in  the  English  and  German  languages.  He  remained 
there  till  the  beginning  of  the  year  1757,  when  he  removed 
to  Philadelphia.  [See  Philadelphia. ~] 

LAHN,  ALBRIGHT  AND  STIEMER,  mentioned  in  the  first 
edition  of  this  work,  I  am  informed  did  not  begin  business 
until  the  conclusion  of  the  revolutionary  war. 

FRANCIS  BAILEY  began  business  in  1771,  in  company 
with  Stewart  Herbert,  but  they  did  not  continue  a  long 
time  in  partnership.  In  1772,  and  after,  Bailey's  printing 
house  was  in  Spring  street,  Lancaster.  The  types  with 


1  This  was  probably  Henry  Miller,  then  lately  returned  from  Europe, 
and  who  went  again  to  Europe  in  1754,  but  previously  worked  about 
twelve  months  for  Bradford  in  Philadelphia.  [See  Henry  Miller.] 


PENNSYLVANIA.  287 

which  he  began  business,  were  manufactured  in  German- 
town.  Afterwards  he  manufactured  types  for  himself  and 
others.  As  a  mechanician  he  was  celebrated. 

Bailey  was  instructed  in  printing  by  Peter  Miller  at 
Ephrata,  Lancaster  county.  He  removed  to  Philadelphia 
in  1778  or  1779,  and  published  a  newspaper  in  that  city. 
He  eventually  returned  to  Lancaster.  His  daughter-in-law 
in  1818  conducted  a  press  in  Philadelphia. 

STEWART  HERBERT  began  printing  with  Francis  Bailey 
in  1771.  A  separation  appears  to  have  taken  place  soon 
after,  and  Herbert  opened  a  printing  house  "  in  Queen 
street,  Lancaster,"  and  printed  there  in  1774.  He  after 
wards  printed  a  small  newspaper  in  Hagerstown,  Mary 
land. 

Andrew  Steuart  in  1761,  had  a  shop  in  Lancaster;  but 
I  do  not  find  that  he  had  a  press  there. 

EPHRATA. 

This  place,  situated  near  Cocalico  creek  in  Lan 
caster  county,  has  been  called  Dunkardtown,  and  Tun- 
kardtown,  but  is  now  known  by  the  name  of  Ephrata.  It 
was  settled  in  1733,  by  a  sect  called,  by  some,  Tunkers, 
and  by  others,  Bunkers  or  German  Baptists,  most  of 
whom  were  from  Germany,  or  of  German  extraction.  They 
believe  in  the  general  redemption  and  salvation  of  the 
human  race.  They  are  generally  well  informed,  peaceable 
in  their  disposition,  simple  in  their  language,  and  plain  in 
their  dress.  They  neither  swear  nor  fight,  nor  go  to  law, 
nor  take  interest  for  money  loaned.  They  commonly  wear 
their  beards.  At  first  they  kept  the  first  day  sabbath,  but 
afterwards  the  seventh  day. 

PETER  MILLER,  a  venerable  and  pious  leader  and  teacher 
among  the  Tunkers,  began  with  them  the  settlement 


288          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

of  Ephrata.  About  the  year  1746,  Miller  opened  a  printing 
house,  and  he  and  his  associates  erected  a  paper  mill. 
Miller  printed  a  number  of  books  in  the  German  language, 
and  a  few  in  English ;  all  on  religious  subjects,  and  written 
chiefly  by  himself. 

In  1748  and  1749,  he  wrote  and  printed  in  Dutch,  a  work 
entitled  Sllltiqen  ©C^ail  ^(atjeS.1  It  made  fourteen  hun 
dred  and  twenty-eight  pages,  which  he  published  in  two 
volumes,  and  then  translated  it  into  German.  The  paper 
on  which  it  was  printed,  was  manufactured  at  Ephrata 
village.  This  work  gave  employment  to  Miller  for  more 
than  two  years.  During  that  time  his  bed  was  a  bench ; 
his  pillow  a  wooden  block  of  about  four  inches  in  thick 
ness  and  width,  and  ten  inches  in  length ;  and  he  slept  but 
four  hours  in  twenty-four.2 

"  Miller  was  born  in  Germany  in  1709 ;  had  his  educa 
tion  in  the  university  of  Heidelberg ;  came  to  this  country 


1  In  the  title  page  of  each  volume  is  an  impression  from  a  cut,     One  cut 
is  enclosed  with  a  circle,   and  engraved  on  wood ;  the  other  on  type 
metal. 

2  This  information  I  received  from  Mr.  Francis  Bailey,  of  Lancaster, 
Pa.,  an  ingenious  and  very  respectable  printer,  taught  by  Miller.     Mr. 
Bailey  mentions  that  he  has  often  witnessed  Miller  resting  in  the  manner 
I  have  represented,  and  that  he  has  slept  in  the  same  room  with  Miller  in 
a  similar  way.    He  also  informs  me  "  that  during  the  time  5>luttgeu  Scljnit 
^JlutjcS  was  in  the  press,  particular  sorts  of  the  fonts  of  types  on  which  it 
was  printed  ran  short.     To  overcome  this  difficulty,  one  of  the  workmen 
constructed  a  mold  that  could  be  moved  so  as  to  suit  the  body  of  any 
type  not  smaller  than  brevier,  nor  larger  than  double  pica.     The  mold  con 
sisted  of  four  quadrangular  pieces  of  brass ;  two  of  them  with  mortices  to 
shift  to  a  suitable  body,  and  secured  by  screws.    The  best  type  they  could 
select  from  the  sort  wanted,  was  then  placed  in  the  mold,  and  after  a 
slight  corrosion  of  the  surface  of  the  letter  with  aquafortis  to  prevent  sol 
dering,  or  adhesion,  a  leaden  matrix  was  cast  on  the  face  of  the  type, 
from  which,  after  a  slight  stroke  of  a  hammer  on  the  type  in  the  matrix, 
we  cast  the  letters  which  were  wanted.     Types  thus  cast  answer  tolerably 
well.     I  have  often  adopted  a  method  somewhat  like  this  to  obtain  sorts 
which  were  short ;  but  instead  of  four  pieces  of  brass,  made  use  of  an 
even  and  accurate  composing  stick,  and  one  piece  of  iron  or    copper 
having  an  even  surface  on  the  sides  ;  and  instead  of  a  leaden  matrix,  have 
substituted  one  of  clay,  especially  for  letters  with  a  bold  face. 


PENNSYLVANIA.  289 

in  1730;  settled  with  the  Dutch  Presbyterians  in  Phila 
delphia  ;  and  was  the  same  year  ordained  a  preacher  among 
them.  In  1735  he  embraced  the  principles  of  the  Baptists ; 
and  in  1744  he  received  another  ordination  to  be  the  prior 
or  head  of  the  society  at  Ephrata."1  After  Miller  left  the 
Presbyterian  society  in  Philadelphia,  he  removed  to  Berks 
county,  where  he  discovered  a  valuable  quarry  of  agate, 
and  he,  in  company  with  one  Conrad  Weiser,  a  celebrated 
Indian  interpreter,  became  concerned  in  working  this 
quarry,  and  in  exporting  large  quantities  of  the  agate  to 
Germany.  But  Miller's  religious  impressions  soon  led  him 
to  believe  that  his  time  and  talents  should  be  more  usefully 
employed ;  and  Weiser  dying,  Miller  forsook  the  business 
of  the  quarry,  and  then  associated  with  the  Dunkers,  and 
began  the  settlement  of  Ephrata. 

Among  the  brethren  of  his  religious  sect,  Miller  went 
by  the  paternal  name  of  Jabez,  alluding  to  I  Chronicles, 
chap,  iv,  verses  9  and  10.  His  chin  bore  that  digni 
fied  and  characteristic  mark  of  manhood  given  by  the 
creator,  a  beard,  flowing  over  his  bosom.  His  counten 
ance,  it  is  said,  was  continually  so  serene  that  all  who  saw 
him  might  pronounce  that  he  had  not  only  made  a  treaty 
of  peace  with  himself,  but  with  all  the  world. 

It  is  not  supposed  that  Miller  was  bred  to  printing;  but 
it  is  understood  he  obtained  a  knowledge  of  the  art  after 
he  arrived  in  Pennsylvania  from  the  second  Christopher 
Sower  of  Germantown.  They  were  of  the  same  religious 
sect,  and  in  some  way  associated  in  the  general  government 
of  the  church  of  which  they  were  members. 

Miller  was  a  good  classical  scholar,  a  man  of  most  amia 
ble  manners,  and  highly  respected.  He  died  about  the 
year  1790,  aged  eighty  years. 


1  Ed  wards' s  History  of  Baptists,  printed  1770. 
29 


290          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


NEW   YORK. 

This  colony  was  settled  by  the  Dutch,  and  remained 
in  their  possession  until  1664,  when  it  was  surrendered  to 
the  king  of  England,  and  by  him  granted  to  the  duke  of 
York.  No  press  was  established  under  the  Dutch  govern 
ment. 

In  1665,  The  Conditions  for  New  Planters  in  the  Territories 
of  His  Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  York,  who  was  afterwards 
king  of  England,  were  printed  on  one  side  of  a  foolscap 
half  sheet.  A  gentleman,1  who  possessed  one  of  the  printed 
copies  of  these  conditions,  informed  me  that,  on  its  margin, 
in  ancient  writing,  were  these  words,  "  This  was  printed 
at  Boston  in  May  1665."  Cambridge  was  undoubtedly 
meant,  as  a  press  was  not  established  in  Boston  till  some 
years  after  this  time.  This  writing  is,  however,  proof  that 
in  1665  there  was  no  printing  press  in  NQW  York.  The 
small  quantity  of  printing  necessary  for  the  colony  was 
probably  done  at  Cambridge,  or  at  Boston,  until  about 
1684,  when  William  Bradford  began  printing  in  Pennsyl 
vania.  It  does  not  appear  that  any  printing  was  executed 
in  ISTew  York  until  1693. 

In  1700,  some  gentlemen  in  Boston  applied  to  Bartho 
lomew  Green  of  that  town,  to  print  a  pamphlet,  entitled, 
"  Gospel  Order  Revived,  Being  an  Answer  to  a  Book  lately 
set  forth  by  the  Reverend  Mr.  Increase  Mather,  President 
of  Harvard  College,  &c.  entituled,  The  Order  of  the  Gospel, 
<fc.  Dedicated  to  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  New-England. 
By  sundry  Ministers  of  the  Gospel  in  New-England"  Green 
declined  printing  the  pamphlet  before  it  had  been  sub 
mitted  to  the  licensers  of  the  press,  to  which  the  authors 
would  not  consent.  Some  months  after,  the  pamphlet 


1  Hon.  Ebenezer  Hazard,  of  Philadelphia  ;  late  postmaster  general. 


NEW  YORK.  291 

was  published,  and  appeared  without  the  name  of  the 
printer,  or  the  place  of  his  residence.  The  imprint  was, 
"  Printed  in  the  year  1700."  To  the  pamphlet  was  pre 
fixed  the  following  advertisement,  viz. 

"  The  Eeader  is  desired  to  take  Notice,  that  the  Press 
in  Boston  is  so  much  under  the  aw  of  the  Reverend  Author 
whom  we  answer,  and  his  Friends,  that  we  could  not  obtain 
of  the  Printer  there  to  print  the  following  sheets,  which  is 
the  only  true  Reason  why  we  have  sent  the  Copy  so  far 
for  its  Impression." 

The  pamphlet,  on  its  appearance  in  Boston,  particularly 
the  advertisement  attached  to  it,  produced  considerable 
agitation.  Green  to  clear  hmiself  of  the  aspersion,  as  he 
termed  it,  of  his  press  being  under  control,  etc.,  published 
a  handbill,  a  newspaper  was  not  then  published  in  English 
America.  In  this  handbill,  Green  asserts  that  the  pamphlet 
was  printed  at  New  York.  Appendix.  1 

This  pamphlet,  of  which  I  have  a  copy,  contains  fifty 
two  pages,  small  quarto,  incorrectly  and  badly  printed, 
and  is,  the  laws  excepted,  the  only  book  printed  in  New 
York  as  early  as  1700,  which  I  have  seen,  that  contained 
more  than  thirty-eight  pages.1 

NEW  YORK. 

The  first  press  in  the  colony  was  erected  in  that  city, 
in  the  year  1693. 

WILLIAM  BRADFORD,  the  first  who  printed  in  Pennsylva 
nia,  introduced  the  art  into  New  York.  He  continued 
his  printing  in  Philadelphia  until  some  time  in  the  year 
1693,  when  he  set  up  a  press  in  New  York,  and  was  ap 
pointed  printer  to  the  government.  The  first  book  from 


1  The  first  printing  done  in  New  York  was  Gov.  Fletcher's  proclamation, 
printed  by  Bradford  in  1693,  and  dated  Aug.  25.  The  Laws  noticed  above 
were  printed  the  same  year.  —  M. 


292          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

his  press  was  a  small  folio  volume  of  the  laws  of  the  colony, 
bearing  the  date  of  that  year.  In  the  imprint  he  styles 
himself  "  Printer  to  their  Majesties,"  and  directs  to  his 
printing  house,  "  at  the  Sign  of  the  Bible." 

In  1698,  he  printed  "  The  Proceedings  of  His  Excellency 
Earle  Bellemount,  Governor  of  New  York,  and  his  council, 
on  the  8th  of  May  1698,"  one  sheet  folio.  Imprint — "  New 
York,  printed  by  William  Bradford,  printer  to  the  King, 
1698." 

His  imprint  to  "  an  account  of  the  illegal  trial  of 
Nicholas  Bayard  in  170J,"  is,  "  Printed  by  William  Brad 
ford  at  Sign  of  the  Bible  New  York,  1702." 

In  1709,  November  12,  the  general  assembly  of  the 
colony  ordered,  "  that  Mr.  Bradford  do  print  all  the  acts 
of  the  general  assembly  of  this  colony  now  in  force."  A 
warrant  from  the  speaker,  of  the  same  date,  "  appoints  and 
orders  William  Bradford"  to  print  the  laws  in  conformity 
to  the  resolve  of  the  general  assembly.  The  laws  were 
printed  by  him  accordingly,  and  he  completed  them  in  the 
year  following,  with  this  imprint.  "  Printed  by  William 
Bradford,  printer  to  the  Queen's  most  excellent  majesty 
for  the  colony  of  New  York,  1710."  l 

I  have  a  pamphlet  printed  in  that  city  in  1711,  by  "  Wil 
liam  and  Andrew  Bradford,"  from  which  it  appears  that, 
at  that  time,  there  was  some  connection  in  business  between 
Bradford  and  his  son  Andrew ;  but  that  concern  could 
have  been  only  for  a  year  or  two,  for  Andrew,  in  1712, 
removed  to  Philadelphia. 


1  Smith  in  his  History  of  New  York,  pp.  109, 110,  mentions  that  in  1703, 
the  governor  proposed  to  the  assembly  to  lay  a  duty  of  ten  per  cent,  on 
certain  articles,  but  they  resolved  to  the  contrary.  On  which  "  the  very 
printer,  clerk,  and  door  keeper,  were  denied  their  salaries."  He  also 
says,  p.  117,  "  the  assembly  of  1700,  agreed  to  raise  money  for  several 
designated  purposes,  among  which  were  small  salaries  to  the  printeivlerk 
of  the  council,  and  Indian  interpreter." 


NEW  YORK.  293 

Franklin1  mentions  that  when  he  first  visited  New  York 
about  1723,  William  Bradford  was  a  printer,  and  it  appears 
the  only  printer,  in  that  city.  Franklin  applied  to  him  for 
work ;  Bradford  having  but  little  business  could  not  employ 
him ;  but  he  recommended  him  to  his  son,  who  then  printed 
in  Philadelphia,  and  Franklin  accordingly  went  there. 

Franklin  observes,  thatBradford  was  the  first  who  printed 
in  Pennsylvania,  but  had  "  quitted  that  province  on  account 
of  a  quarrel  with  George  Keith,  the  governor,"  etc.  He 
must  have  made  a  mistake  ;  there  had  been  no  governor  of 
Pennsylvania  by  the  name  of  George  Keith.  Sir  William 
Keith  was  appointed  governor  in  1717  ;  but  Bradford  had 
settled  in  New  York  twenty  four  years  prior  to  that  event. 
There  was  a  George  Keith,2  who  has  already  been  taken 
notice  of  as  a  man  of  abilities,  a  schoolmaster,  and  preacher 
among  the  quakers,  and  the  author  of  several  tracts  in 
their  defence,  which  were  printed  by  Bradford  when  he 
resided  in  Philadelphia.  This  George  Keith  was  violently 
hostile  to  President  Lloyd,  who  governed  Pennsylvania  in 
the  absence  of  the  proprietor.3  Bradford  as  has  been  stated 
became  interested  in  the  quarrel,  and  he,  with  Keith  and 
others,  seceded  from  the  quakers,  which  eventually  caused 
Bradford's  removal  to  New  York. 


1  Life  of  Franklin. 

2  George  Keith  repelled  the  attack  of  Increase  and  Cotton  Mather  upon 
the  quakers,  and  then   differed  with  his  brethren,  who  in  consequence 
disowned  him ;  afterwards  he  went  to  England,  took  holy  orders,  returned 
to  America,  as  a  missionary  from  the  Society  for  propagating  the  gos 
pel  in  foreign  parts,  and,  in  1702,  preached  a  sermon  "  at  her  Majesties 
Chapel,  at  Boston  in  New  England,"  entitled  "  The  Doctrine  of  the  Holy 
Apostles  and  Prophets  the  Foundation  of  the  Church  of  Christ."     This 
sermon  was  printed,  at  Boston,  the  same  year.     He  again  returned  to  Eng 
land,  and  in  1706,  published  "  a  journal  of  [his]  travels  from  New  Hamp 
shire  to  Caratuck,  on  the  continent  of  America."     At  this  time  he  was 
rector  of  Edburton  in  Sussex,  England.    It  was  posterior  to  this  event  that 
he  became  a  Baptist,  and  the  founder  of  a  sect  called  Keithian  Baptists. 

3  See  William  Bradford,  under  the  head  of  Philadelphia. 


294          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Bradford  continued  to  print  for  the  government  of  New 
York  ;  and  during  thirty  years  was  the  only  printer  in  the 
province.  On  the  16th  of  October,  1725,  he  began  the  publi 
cation  of  the  first  newspaper  printed  in  that  colony. 

Bradford  is  characterized  by  Franklin  as  "  a  cunning  old 
fox."  Be  this  as  it  may,  he  was  very  kind  to  Franklin 
when  the  latter  was  a  young  and  needy  adventurer,  as  is 
apparent  from  the  account  which  Franklin  himself  gives 
of  their  first  and  second  interviews.  He  had  two  sons,  An 
drew  and  William,  and  a  daughter,  all  by  his  first  wife  ;  both 
sons  were  brought  up  to  printing.  Andrew,  who  was 
named  after  his  grandfather  Andrew  Sowles,  printer  in 
London,  settled  in  Philadelphia.  William  not  enjoying 
health  on  land,  soon  after  he  became  of  age  adopted  the 
life  of  a  seaman.  Tacey,  his  daughter,  who  was  named 
after  her  grandmother,  the  wife  of  Andrew  Sowles,  was 
married  to  Mr.  Hyat,  who  was  several  years  sheriff  of 
Philadelphia  county. 

Bradford,  having  buried  his  first  wife,  married  a  widow 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  of  the  name  of  Smith,  who  had 
several  children  by  her  former  husband.  This  marriage, 
it  has  been  said,  was  attended  with  no  small  injury  to  his 
pecuniary  interests.  lie  continued  his  residence  in  the  city, 
and  enjoyed  a  long  life  without  experiencing  sickness  or 
the  usual  infirmities  of  age.  Several  years  before  his  death 
he  retired  from  business,  and  lived  with  his  son  William, 
in  Hanover  square.  As  early  as  1728,  he  owned  a  paper- 
mill  at  Elizabeth  town,  New  Jersey.  When  this  mill  was 
built,  I  cannot  determine ;  but  probably  it  was  the  first  that 
was  erected  in  New  Jersey. 

On  the  morning  of  the  day  which  closed  his  life,  he 
walked  over  a  great  part  of  the  city.  He  died  May  23, 
1752,  aged  ninety  two  years.  The  New  York  Gazette 
which  announced  his  death  on  the  Monday  following,  men 
tions,  "  that  he  came  to  America  seventy  years  ago;  was 


NEW  YORK.  295 

printer  to  the  government  upwards  of  fifty  years,  and  was 
a  man  of  great  sobriety  and  industry ;  a  real  friend  to  the 
poor  and  needy,  and  kind  and  affable  to  all.  His  temper 
ance  was  exceedingly  conspicuous ;  and  he  was  almost  a 
stranger  to  sickness  all  his  life.  He  had  left  off  business 
several  years  past,  and  being  quite  worn  out  with  old  age 
and  labor,  his  lamp  of  life  went  out  for  want  of  oil."  He 
was  buried  in  Trinity  churchyard,  where  his  tombstone  yet 
remains.  The  inscription  on  this  stone  concludes  thus. 

"  Reader,  reflect  how  soon  you'll  quit  this  stage, 
You'll  find  but  few  attain  to  such  an  age } 
Life's  full  of  pain  ;  lo,  here's  a  place  of  rest ; 
Prepare  to  meet  your  God,  then  you  are  blest. 

"  Here  also  lies  the  body  of  Elizabeth,  wife  to  the  said  William  Brad 
ford,  who  departed  this  life  July  8,  1731,  aged  68  years." 

[See  Philadelphia — Hist,  of  Newspaper  sJ] 

JOHN  PETEK  ZENGER  was  established  in  New  York  as 
early  as  1726,  and  printed  in  Smith  street.  Afterwards, 
in  1734,  he  removed  "  to  Broad-Street  near  the  upper  End 
of  the  Long  Bridge."  It  appears  that  his  business  for 
several  years  was  confined  to  printing  pamphlets  for  the 
authors  of  them,  and  some  small  articles  for  himself. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1733  he  began  the  publica 
tion  of  a  newspaper.  Until  this  time  only  one  had  been 
printed  in  the  city,  and  there  was  no  other  paper  issued 
from  any  press  between  Philadelphia  and  Boston. 

Zenger's  Jounml  soon  assumed  political  features  which 
excited  general  attention  in  the  colony ;  several  writers  in 
this  paper  attacked  the  measures  of  government  with  a 
boldness  which,  was  unusual  in  those  days.  Zenger  was, 
in  consequence,  arrested,  confined  in  prison  for  several 
months,  debarred  the  use  of  pen,  ink  and  paper,  denied 
the  conversation  of  his  friends,  and  finally  tried  upon  a 


296          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

charge  of  libellous  publications  in  his  Journal ;  but  he  was 
acquitted  by  the  jury,  to  the  great  mortification  of  the 
officers  of  the  government,  and  to  the  no  less  gratification 
of  the  citizens.1 

Zenger  was  poor.2  Sometime  after  his  commitment  his 
counsel  moved  that  he  might  be  admitted  to  bail ;  but  the 
court  demanded  bail  which  was  deemed  to  be  excessive. 
Zenger  was  examined  respecting  his  property ;  and  he  made 
oath  "  that,  his  debts  being  paid,  he  was  not  worth  forty 
pounds,  the  tools  of  his  trade  and  his  wearing  apparel  ex- 
cepted."  Notwithstanding  this  oath,  the  court  "  ordered 
that  he  might  be  admitted  to  bail,  himself  in  400?.  with 
two  sureties,  each  in  200/.,  and  that  he  should  be  remanded 
till  he  gave  it.  Zenger  "  knowing  this  sum  to  be  ten  times 
the  amount  of  what  indemnity  he  could  give  to  any  per 
son  to  whom  he  might  apply  to  be  his  bondsman,  declined 
to  ask  that  favor  of  his  friends,  and  submitted  to  further 
confinement." 

Zenger  was  a  German.  In  one  of  his  newspapers,  pub 
lished  during  his  imprisonment,  he  mentioned,  that  "  tho' 
he  was  a  poor  printer,  he  should  remember  that  he  had 
good  German  blood  in  his  veins."3  He  and  Bradford 
were,  for  a  number  of  years,  the  only  printers  in  New  York, 
and  for  a  long  time  they  carried  on  a  paper  war  against 
each  other,.  In  December,  1734,  a  writer  in  Bradford's 
Gazette  accused  Zenger  of  publishing  "  pieces  tending  to 


1  See  Newspapers. 

2  See  Doc.  Hist.  N.  Y.,  iv,  630  ;  Life  Lord  Stirling,  45  ;  Smith's  Hid.  A. 
F.,  IT,  16,  ei  seq.—M. 

3  Among  the  Palatines  that  arrived  in  New  York  in  1710  were  Johanna 
Zangerin  aged  33,  and  her  son  John  Peter  aged  13.     On  the  26th  Oct.  of 
that  year,  the  latter  was  apprenticed  to  William  Bradford,  the  printer, 
by  Gov.  Hunter,  when  his  mother's  name  was  written  Hannah  Zenger 
(in  being  a   common  termination   to  feminine  names  in  German.)     See 
N.  Y.  Doc.  Hint.,  4to,  in,  340,  341.     His  indentures  are  to  be  found  in 
Hint.  May.,  1864,  pp.  35,  36.  —  M. 


YORK.  297 

set  the  province  in  a  flame,  and  to  raise  sedition  and  tu 
mults  ;"  and  deridingly  upbraided  him  with  being  brought 
to  America  at  the  expense  of  government,  etc.  Zenger, 
in  his  Journal,  refutes  the  charges  of  criminality  brought 
against  him.  He  was  then  in  confinement,  and  dates 
"  From  my  prison,  December  20,  1734."  Respecting  his 
being  sent  to  America  at  the  expense  of  the  government, 
he  observes  :  "  That  I  was  brought  over  at  the  chari 
table  expense  of  the  crown  is  the  only  truth  that  groaping 
fumbler  found  when  he  studied  that  clumsy  performance.— 
I  acknowledge  it;  thanks  to  Queen  Anne,  whose  name  I 
mention  with  reverence,  her  bounty  to  me  and  my  dis- 
tress'd  country  folks  will  be  gratefully  remembered,"  etc. 
The  writer  in  the  Gazette  had  made  some  remarks  on 
Zenger' s  sword  ;  and  stated  that  the  sheriff  had  no  private 
orders  relative  to  his  confinement.  To  these  remarks 
Zenger  replied — "  My  sword  was  never  intended  to  protect 
me  against  a  sworn  officer  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  :  But 
since  this  scribbler  must  needs  make  himself  merry  with 
it,  I  think  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  tell  my  readers  a  serious 
but  true  story.  About  eight  weeks  ago  the  Honorable 
Francis  Harrison  [one  of  the  council]  came  to  my  house, 
and  swore  by  the  G-od  that  made  him  he  would  lay  his 
cane  over  me  the  first  time  he  met  me  in  the  street,  with 
some  other  scurrilous  expressions  more  fit  to  be  uttered 
by  a  drayman  than  a  gentleman.  Against  such  Assaults 
my  sword  not  only  could  but  would  have  protected  me, 
and  shall  while  I  have  it  against  any  man  that  has  impu 
dence  enough  to  attempt  any  thing  of  that  nature.  —  Vim 
vi  repellere  licet.  What  private  orders  the  sheriff  had  con 
cerning  me  are  best  known  to  himself.  This  I  know  that 
from  the  time  of  my  being  appehended  till  the  return  of  the 
precept  by  virtue  of  which  I  was  taken,  I  was  deny'd  the 
use  of  pen,  ink,  and  paper ;  alterations  were  purposely 
made  on  my  account,  to  put  me  into  a  place  by  myself, 
30 


298          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

where  I  was  so  strictly  confined  above  fifty  hours  that  my 
wife  might  not  speak  to  me  but  in  presence  of  the  sub- 
sheriff;  to  say  this  was  done  without  orders  is  lybelling 
the  sheriff,  and  I  hope  he  will  recent  it." 

It  appears  that  Zenger  was  a  good  workman,  and  a 
scholar ;  but  not  a  correct  printer  of  English.  He  had  a 
family,  and  two  of  his  sons  were  his  apprentices.  He  con 
tinued  in  business  till  about  August,  1746,  when  he  died, 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  widow. 

One  of  his  daughters  was  mistress  of  a  tavern  in  New 
York  in  1758,  and  her  house  was  frequently  resorted  to 
by  printers  who  respected  her  father. 

JAMES  PARKER  was  born  in  Woodbridge,  New  Jersey, 
and  served  his  apprenticeship  with  William  Bradford  in 
New  York.  He  began  business  about  the  year  1742,  when 
Bradford  quitted  it.  Bradford's  New  York  Gazette  being 
discontinued,  Parker  established  another  newspaper  of  the 
same  title,  with  the  addition  of  Post  Boy. 

Parker  was  well  acquainted  with  printing,  a  neat  work 
man,  and  active  in  business.1  By  the  aid  of  partners,  he 
established  a  press  at  New  Haven ;  and,  conducted  one  in 
New  York,  and  another  in  Woodbridge.  In  1762,  he 
began  the  publication  of  a  periodical  work,  entitled,  The 
Reflector.1  In  January,  1753,  Parker  commenced  a  partner 
ship  in  New  York  with  William  Weyman,  under  the  firm 
of  PARKER  &  WEYMAN.  Weyman  managed  the  concerns 
of  the  firm.  They  published  several  books,  and  printed 
for  government.  Their  newspaper  was  in  good  repute  ;  it 
had  an  extensive  circulation,  and  they  acquired  property.2 


1  Gov.  Clinton,  by  a  written  order  under  his  hand,  dated  20  Oct.,  1747, 
forbade  James  Parker,  who  usually  printed  the  journals  of  the  house  of 
assembly,  to  publish  the  assembly's  remonstrance  to  his  message  and  pro 
ceedings. —  Smith,  n,  150. — M. 

2  See  Newspapers,  and  other  periodical  works,  under  the  head  of  New 
York. 


NEW  YORK.  299 

Parker  purchased  the  press  and  types  which  had  been 
owned  by  Zenger;  and,  in  1755,  he  opened  a  printing 
house  in  New  Haven,  in  partnership  with  John  Holt. 
During  his  connection  with  Weyman,  Parker  resided  for 
the  greater  part  of  his  time  at  Woodbridge,  and  managed 
the  press  in  that  place  on  his  own  account.  In  January? 

1759,  Parker  and  Weyman  dissolved  their  partnership. 
Parker  continued  the  business  a  few  weeks,  and  then  as 
signed  it  over  to  his  nephew  Samuel  Parker.     In  July, 

1760,  James  Parker  resumed  his  printing  house  and  news 
paper  in  New  York.     Holt,  having  closed  his  concerns  at 
New  Haven,  came  to  New  York,   and   Parker   and   he 
formed  a  partnership  under  the  firm  of  JAMES  PARKER  & 
COMPANY.     This  partnership   ended  in  April,  1762,  when 
Parker,  who  still  resided  in  New  Jersey,  leased  his  news 
paper  and  printing  house  to  Holt. 

In  1766,  Holt  quitted  the  premises,  and  Parker  again 
resumed  them,  and  carried  on  the  business  of  the  printing 
house,  in  connection  with  his  son,  until  a  few  months 
before  his  death.  He  had  long  been  an  invalid.  It  was 
his  intention  when  he  separated  from  Holt,  to  have  resided 
wholly  in  the  city ;  but  his  declining  health  obliged  him 
to  be  a  great  part  of  his  time  at  Woodbridge,  and  finally 
to  retire  from  business.  In  1770,  he  closed  all  his  earthly 
concerns.1  [See  History  of  Newspapers,  New  Jersey. ~] 

CATHARINE  ZENGER.  She  was  the  widow  of  John  Peter 
Zenger.  •  Her  printing  house  was  "  in  Stone-street,  near 
Fort  George.  Catharine  Zenger  continued  the  printing 
business,  and  The  New  York  Weekly  Journal,  after  her 
husband's  death  in  1746.  In  December  1748,  she  resigned 
her  printing  house  to  her  son  John  Zengef ;  and,  about 
two  years  after,  removed  to  "  Golden-Hill,  near  Hermanns 
Rutgers,"  where  she  sold  pamphlets,  etc. 

1  For  a  more  extended  sketch  of  Parker  see  New  York  Col.  Doc.,  vm,  221, 
note  by  Dr.  O'Callaghan  ;  also  N.  T.  Doc.  Hist.,  4to,  in,  323.— M. 


300  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

HENRY  DE  FOREEST  was  born  in  New  York, l  and  served 
his  apprenticeship  with  either  Bradford  or  Zenger,  probably 
with  the  latter.  I  can  learn  but  little  respecting  him.  In 
1746,  he  published  a  newspaper,  entitled,  The  New  York 
Evening  Post.  I  cannot  ascertain  how  long  before  or  after 
1746,  this  paper  was  published.  But  De  Foreest  was  not 
many  years  in  business.  He  printed  several  pamphlets, 
which  I  have  seen  advertised  for  sale  by  him  in  Zenger's 
Journal ;  also,  The  Whole  Book  of  Forms,  and  the  Liturgy  of 
the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  etc.,  an  octavo  volume  of  216 
pages. 

JOHN  ZENGER  was  the  eldest  son  of  John  Peter  Zenger, 
and  was  taught  printing  by  his  father,  who  died  before  he 
became  of  age,  and  he  completed  his  apprenticeship  with 
his  mother.  His  mother  resigned  her  printing  house  to 
him  in  1748.  He  published  a  few  pamphlets,  and  printed 
blanks  for  his  own  sales  ;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  his 
press  was  employed  in  any  thing  of  more  consequence  than 
the  newspaper,  which  was  begun  by  his  father,  continued 
by  his  mother,  and  now  published  by  him.  He  printed 
the  Journaltill  January  1751.  How  long  after  that  time  he 
remained  in  business,  I  cannot  determine.  His  printing 
house  was  "  in  Stone-Street."  He  printed  with  the  types 
that  were  used  by  his  father,  which,  in  1750,  appeared  to 
be  much  worn.  His  work  is  not  so  well  executed  as  that 
done  by  his  father. 

• 

HUGH  GAINE  was  born  in  Ireland.  He  served  his  ap 
prenticeship  with  James  Macgee,  printer  in  Belfast,  by 
whom  Andrew  Steuart,  who  has  been  mentioned  as  a 
a  printer  in  Philadelphia,  was  also  taught  printing.  After 


1 1  formerly  heard  that  he  was  a  foreigner,  but  a  grandson  of  his  name, 
now  living  in  Philadelphia,  has  since  informed  me,  that  his  grandfather 
was  bora  in  New  York,  although  he  can  give  no  account  of  him  as  a  printer 


NEW  YORK.  301 

his  arrival  in  New  York  he  worked  several  years  as  a  jour 
ney-man  to  James  Parker. 

Gaine  set  up  a  press  in  New  York,  about  the  year  1750, 
and  in  1752  published  a  newspaper,  entitled,  The  New 
York  Mercury.  He  was  industrious  and  economical,  and  he 
experienced  the  advantages  which  usually  result  from  such 
habits.  Having  acquired  a  small  property,  he  took  a  house 
in  Hanover  square,  opened  a  book  and  stationery  store, 
and  increased  his  printing,  etc.,  until  his  business  soon  be 
came  extensive  and  lucrative.  He  kept  the  stand  in  Han 
over  square  above  forty  years,  where  he  published  several 
duodecimo  and  octavo  volumes  for  his  own  sales,  and  a 
number  of  pamphlets  for  himself  and  others.  In  1764 
and  1765  he  printed  for  government,  the  Journal  of  the  Votes 
and  Proceedings  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  from  1691  to  1765, 
in  two  large  folio  volumes  of  one  thousand  pages  each. 
He  continued  to  print  and  sell  books  until  the  close  of  a 
long  life. 

Game's  political  creed,  it  seems,  was  to  join  the  strongest 
party.  When  the  British  troops  were  about  to  take  pos 
session  of  New  York  in  1776,  he  left  the  city,  and  set  up 
his  press  at  Newark;  but  soon  after,  in  the  belief  that  ap 
pearances  were  against  the  ultimate  success  of  the  United 
States,  he  privately  withdrew  from  Newark,  and  returned 
to  New  York.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  war,  he  petitioned 
the  state  legislature  for  leave  to  remain  in  the  city,  and 
having  obtained  permission,  his  press  was  employed  in 
book  printing,  etc.,  but  his  newspaper  was  discontinued 
when  the  British  army  left. 

Gaine  was  punctual  in  his  dealings,  of  correct  moral 
habits,  and  respectable  as  a  citizen.  He  began  the  world 
a  poor  man,  but  by  close  application  to  successful  business 
through  a  long  period  of  time,  he  acquired  a  large  property. 
He  died  April  25, 1807,  aged  eighty-one  years.1  [See  Hist. 
of  Newspapers.] 


See  N.  T.,  Doc.  Hittwy,  iv,  384-8?.— J/. 


302          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

WILLIAM  WEYMAN,  born  in  Pennsylvania,  was  the  sou 
of  an  episcopal  clergyman,  who  was  rector  of  the  church 
in  Oxford,  county  of  Philadelphia.  He  served  his  appren 
ticeship  with  William  Bradford,  in  Philadelphia.  He  has 
already  been  taken  notice  of  as  the  partner  of  James  Par 
ker.  Parker  was  the  proprietor  of  the  newspaper  published 
by  the  company,  and  the  owner  of  the  printing  materials. 
They  printed  for  the  government  six  years ;  and,  in  the 
various  branches  of  their  profession,  did  more  business 
than  any  other  printers  in  the  city.  Weyman  was  the 
principal  manager  of  their  press  from  the  commencement 
of  their  connection,  and  of  course  was  well  known  to  the 
public.  These  circumstances  rendered  it  easy  for  him  to 
form  an  establishment  of  his  own. 

The  partnership  of  Parker  and  Weyman  ended  in  1759, 
and  Weyman,  having  provided  himself  with  new  types 
and  other  necessary  materials,  opened  a  printing  house ; 
and,  in  February  of  that  year,  introduced  another  news 
paper  to  the  public,  by  the  title  of  The  New  York  Gazette. 
It  appears  that  Parker  and  Weyman  were  not  on  friendly 
terms  after  they  separated. 

Weyman's  business  was  principally  confined  to  his  news 
paper,  and  it  yielded  him  only  a  maintenance.  He  died 
July  18,  1708.  His  death  was  thus  announced  in  the  Mer 
cury.  "  Died  at  his  house  in  this  city,  of  a  lingering  ill 
ness,  which  had  for  some  time  rendered  him  incapable  of 
business,  Mr.  William  Weyman,  for  many  years  past  a 
printer  of  note."  l  [See  Parker  —  HisL  of  NeiospapersJ] 


1In  1763  Weyman  began  the  printing  of  a  new  edition  of  the  Indian 
Common  Prayer  Book,  under  the  patronage  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Barclay  having  undertaken  to  superintend  it.  It  absorbed 
certain  sorts  to  such  an  extent,  that  after  borrowing  all  he  could  get  from 
the  other  offices,  he  was  enabled  to  set  up  but  half  a  sheet,  and  the  work 
went  on  with  the  safest  haste.  The  death  of  Dr.  Barclay  in  17G4  brought 
the  work  to  a  stand.  In  a  letter  to  Sir  William,  dated  March  2o,  1704,  he 
wrote  that  the  work  "  still  lies  dead, "  and  suggested  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ogil  vie 
should  be  engaged  to  go  on  with  its  supervision.  Mr.  Weyman  having 


NEW  YORK.  303 

JOHN  HOLT  was  born  in  Virginia.  He  received  a  good 
education,  and  was  instructed  in  the  business  of  a  mer 
chant.  He  commenced  his  active  life  with  commercial 
concerns,  which  he  followed  for  several  years,  during  which 
time  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Williamsburg,  in  his  native 
province.  In  his  pursuits  as  a  merchant  he  was  unsuc 
cessful,  and  in  consequence  he  left  Virginia,  came  to  New 
York,  and  formed  a  connection  with  James  Parker,  who 
was  then  about  setting  up  a  press  in  New  Haven.  Holt 
went  to  New  Haven,  and  conducted  their  affairs  in  that 
place  under  the  firm  of  James  Parker  &  Company,  as  has 
been  related.  After  the  business  at  New  Haven  was  dis 
continued,  Holt,  in  the  summer  of  1760,  returned  to  New 
York,  and  there,  as  a  partner,  had  the  direction  of  Parker's 
Gazette  about  two  years.  During  the  four  succeeding 
years  he  hired  Parker's  printing  materials,  and  managed 
The  New  York  Gazette  and  Post-Boy,  as  his  own  concern. 
In  1765,  he  kept  a  bookstore.  In  1766,  he  left  Park 
er's  printing  house,  opened  another,  and  began  the  publi 
cation  of  The  New  York  Journal,  in  the  October  following, 
and  retained  a  large  number  of  the  subscribers  to  the 
Gazette. 

Holt  was  a  man  of  ardent  feelings,  and  a  high  church 
man,  but  a  firm  whig,  a  good  writer,  and  a  warm  advo 
cate  of  the  cause  of  his  country.  A  short  time  before  the 
British  army  took  possession  of  New  York,  he  removed  to 
Esopus,  and  thence  to  Poughkeepsie,  where  he  remained 
and  published  his  Journal  during  the  war.  He  left  at 


died  in  July,  1768,  Hugh  Gaine  was  induced  to  investigate  the  condition 
and  progress  made  by  Weyman,  who  reported  that  74  pages  had  been  print 
ed  ;  that  by  reprinting  two  sheets,  400  copies  could  be  made  up ;  that  Wey 
man  was  indebted  to  him  £300,  and  was  involved  several  hundred  pounds 
more  than  his  estate  could  pay.  (See  N  T.  Doc.  Hist,  iv,  327-84.)  Weyman 
also  printed  for  the  Rev.  Theodorus  Frielinghuysen,  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
church  at  Albany,  a  Catechism  in  Low  Dutch,  without  date  of  publication, 
but  bearing  the  date  to  the  preface  of  1747.  — M. 


304  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

New  York  a  considerable  part  of  his  effects,  which  he 
totally  lost.  Another  portion  of  his  property,  which  had 
been  sent  to  Danbury,  was  pillaged  or  burnt  in  that  place 
by  a  detachment  of  the  British  army ;  and  a  part  of  his 
types,  with  his  household  furniture,  etc.,  were  destroyed 
by  the  enemy  at  Esopus.  In  the  autumn  of  1783,  he  re 
turned  to  New  York,  and  there  continued  the  publication 
of  the  Journal. 

He  was  printer  to  the  state  during  the  war ;  and  his 
widow,  at  his  decease,  was  appointed  to  that  office.  Holt 
was  brother-in-law  to  William  Hunter,  printer  at  Williams- 
burgh,  who  was  deputy  postmaster  general  with  Franklin. 
Soon  after  his  death,  his  widow  printed  the  following 
memorial  of  him  on  cards,  which  she  dispersed  among  her 
friends  and  acquaintances,  viz. 

"  A  Due  Tribute 
To  the  Memory  of 

JOHN  HOLT, 

Printer  to  this  State, 

A  Native  of  Virginia, 

Who  patiently  obeyed  Death's  awful  Summons 

On  the  30th  of  January,  1784, 

In  the  64th  year  of  his  Age. 

To  say  that  His  Family  lament  Him, 

Is  Needless ; 
That  His  Friends  Bewail  Him, 

Useless ; 
That  all  Regret  Him, 

Unnecessary; 
For,  that  He  merited  Every  Esteem 

Is  certain. 

The  Tongue  of  Slander  can't  say  less, 

Tho'  Justice  might  say  more. 

In  Token  of  Sincere  Affection 

His  Disconsolate  Widow 

Hath  caused  this  Memorial 

To  be  erected." 


NEW  YORK.  305 

SAMUEL  PARKER  was  the  nephew  of  James  Parker,  with 
whom  he  served  his  apprenticeship.  He  was  only  seven 
teen  months  in  business  which  he  did  not  manage  to  the 
best  advantage.  He  was,  however,  an  expert  workman. 
His  uncle  assigned  his  printing  house  to  him  in  February, 
1759  ;  but  resumed  it  in  July,  1760.  Parker  died  at  Wil 
mington,  North  Carolina,  previous  to  the  revolution. 

SAMUEL  FARLEY  came  from  Bristol,  England.  He  was 
the  son  of  Felix  Farley,  formerly  the  proprietor  and  printer 
of  the  Bristol  Journal.  He  settled  in  New  York  in  1760, 
and  published  a  newspaper  in  1761,  when  William  God- 
dard  and  Charles  Crouch  were  his  journeymen.  In  1762, 
his  printing  house  was  burnt,  in  which  calamity  most  of 
his  printing  materials  were  destroyed.  Some  time  after 
this  event,  he  went  to  Georgia,  and  having  passed  through 
the  preparatory  studies,  he  there  commenced  the  practice 
of  law.  He  left  Georgia  about  the  year  1775.  "When  he 
died  I  cannot  say. 

JAMES  ROBERTSON  &  COMPANY  had  a  printing  house  in 
Broad  street  in  1768,  and  in  1769  removed  to  "  the  corner 
of  Beaver  street,  opposite  to  his  Excellency  Governor 
Gage's."  Robertson  was  the  son  of  a  printer  in  Scotland, 
and,  as  has  elsewhere  been  stated,  went  from  thence  to 
Boston  with  John  Fleming.  When  Robertson  was  in  New 
York,  the  firm  of  the  company  was  altered  to  ALEXANDER 
&  JAMES  ROBERTSON,  who  were  brothers,  and  royalists. 
They  published  a  newspaper ;  but  after  a  trial  of  some 
months  it  was  discontinued ;  and  they  removed  to  Albany, 
and  printed  a  newspaper  in  that  city.  They  afterwards,  in 
connection  with  John  Trumbull,  opened  a  printing  house 
in  Norwich.  The  Robertsons  returned  to  New  York  when 
it  was  in  possession  of  the  royal  army,  in  the  time  of  the 
31 


306          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

war.     On  the  establishment  of  peace,  they  removed  to  Shel- 
burne,  Nova  Scotia.  [See  Norwich.'] 

SAMUEL  F.  PARKER,  the  son  of  James  Parker,  had  an 
interest  in  the  printing  house  and  business  of  his  father  in 
New  York  several  years  before  his  father  died.  Not  long 
after  the  death  of  James  Parker,  Samuel  leased  his  print 
ing  house,  with  the  apparatus  and  the  Gazette,  to  Inslee  & 
Carr,  and  otherwise  disposed  of  the  press  and  types  in 
Woodbridge.  Being  infirm  in  health,  he  did  but  little  busi 
ness  at  printing,  after  his  father's  death.  In  1773,  he,  in 
company  with  John  Anderson,  endeavored  to  reestablish 
The  Gazette  and  Post  Boy,  which  had  been  discontinued  by 
Inslee  &  Carr,  but  did  not  succeed.  He  died  some  time 
after. 

SAMUEL  INSLEE  &  ANTHONY  CARR  were  copartners, 
and  had  for  some  time  been  in  the  printing  house  of  James 
Parker,  with  whom  Carr  served  his  apprenticeship.  In 
1770,  soon  after  Parker  died,  they  took  his  printing  house 
and  materials  on  a  lease  from  his  son,  and  continued  The 
New  York  Gazette  and  Post  Boy  for  more  thantwo  years, 
but  did  little  other  printing.  Inslee  was  afterwards  employed 
by  Collins  at  Trenton,  and  died  suddenly  in  his  printing 
house. 

JAMES  RIVINGTON,  was  from  London.  He  was  bred  a 
bookseller,1  and  as  such  went  extensively  into  business  in 

1  The  house  of  Rivington,  still  extant  in  London,  was  established  in  1711 
by  Charles  Rivington,  who  succeeded  Richard  Chiswell  in  Paternoster 
row  in  that  year,  and  it  has  ever  since  been  familiar  to  the  readers  of 
religious  books  in  every  part  of  the  world  wherever  the  English  language 
is  spoken.  He  was  succeeded  in  1742  by  his  sons  John  and  James,  the 
latter  of  whom  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  John  died  in  1792,  and  the 
business  is  still  continued  by  his  descendants.  James  was  the  original 
publisher  of  Smollett's  Uistory  of  England,  by  which  it  is  said  that  he  made 
£10,000,  a  larger  sum  than  had  ever  before  been  made  by  one  book. — M. 


NEW  YORK.  307 

that  city.  No  man  in  the  trade  was  better  acquainted  with 
it  than  he.  He  possessed  good  talents,  polite  manners, 
was  well  informed,  and  acquired  so  much  property  as  to 
be  able  to  keep  a  carriage.  He  formed  an  acquaintance 
with  many  of  the  nobility,  which  led  him  into  a  dissipated 
and  expensive  course  of  life.  Rivington  became  fond  of 
amusements,  and  regularly  attended  the  horse  races  at 
Newmarket ;  at  one  of  which  he  lost  so  much  money  as 
to  conceive  himself  to  be  ruined.  He  was,  therefore,  in 
duced  to  persuade  one  of  his  principal  creditors  to  take 
out  a  commission  of  bankruptcy  against  him.  After  due 
examination  into  his  affairs,  his  creditor  assured  him  that 
it  was  unnecessary,  as  he  possessed  property  more  than 
sufficient  to  pay  all  demands  against  him.  Rivington, 
however,  persisted  in  his  request,  and  went  through  the 
process  required  by  the  bankrupt  act.  He  eventually  paid 
twenty  shillings  in  the  pound,  and  had  something  left.1 

This  event  determined  Rivington  to  remove  to  America, 
where  he  arrived  in  1760,  and  settled  as  a  bookseller  in 
Philadelphia.  The  year  following  he  left  his  business  in 
Philadelphia  with  a  partner  by  the  name  of  Brown,  and 
went  to  New  York,  opened  a  bookstore  at  the  "Lower 
end  of  Wall  street,"  2  and  made  that  city  his  place  of  resi 
dence.  In  1762,  he  commenced  bookselling  in  Boston, 
by  an  agent,  William  Miller,  who  the  same  year  became 
his  partner,  but  died  in  1765  ;  and,  in  consequence,  the 
bookstore  in  Boston  was  discontinued. 

After  some  years  he  failed ;  but  very  speedily  settling 
his  affairs,  he  recommenced  business,  which  he  confined 
to  New  York.  He  eventually  adopted  printing ;  and  in 
April,  1773,  published  a  newspaper,  which  was  soon  de- 


1  This  information  was  received  from  one  of  his  assignees  by  a  gentle 
man,  who  communicated  it  to  me. 

2  In  September,  1760,  Rivington  advertised  that  he  had  just  opened  in 
Hanover  square,  and  is  styled  the  only  London  bookseller  in  America.— M. 


308          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

voted  to  the  royal  cause.  Rivington  printed  several  books 
for  his  own  sales,  among  which  was  Cookers  Voyage,  in  two 
volumes  12mo.,  and  dealt  largely  as  a  bookseller  and  sta 
tioner.  He  knew  how  to  get  money,  and  knew  as  well  how 
to  spend  it ;  being  facetious,  companionable,  and  still  fond 
of  high  living;  but,  like  a  man  acquainted  with  the  world, 
he  distinguished  the  guests  who  were  his  best  customers. 
Rivington,  in  his  Gazette,  fought  the  Rebels,  a  term  of 
which  he  made  very  frequent  use  while  he  entertained  the 
opinion  that  the  Americans  would  be  subjected  by  the 
British  arms;  but,  when  he  despaired  of  this  event,  and 
believed  that  Great  Britain  would,  herself,  acknowledge 
the  independence  of  the  United  States,  he  deemed  it  pru 
dent  to  conciliate  the  minds  of  some  of  the  leading  Ame 
ricans.  To  this  end,  it  is  said,  he  sent  out  of  the  city 
such  communications  as  he  knew  would  be  interesting 

o 

to  the  commanders  of  the  American  army,  and  he  ven 
tured  to  remain  in  Xew  York  when  the  British  troops 
evacuated  it,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  war.  Rivington,  in 
consequence  of  his  peace  offerings,  was  protected  from  the 
chastisement  he  might  otherwise  have  received  on  the 
part  of  those  whom  he  had  personally  abused  in  his  paper ; 
among  whom  were  several  officers  of  the  American  army.1 


1  He  used  to  relate  a  story  of  his  interview  with  the  noted  Ethan  Allen^ 
who  paid  him  a  visit  for  the  purpose  of  administering  chastisement. 
He  says,  "  I  was  sitting  alone,  after  a  good  dinner,  with  a  bottle  of  Ma 
deira  before  me,  when  I  heard  an  unusual  noise  in  the  street  and  a  hu/za 
from  the  boys.  I  was  in  the  second  story,  and  stepping  to  the  window, 
saw  a  tall  figure  in  tarnished  regimentals,  with  a  large  cocked  hat  and  an 
enormous  long  sword,  followed  by  a  crowd  of  boys,  who  occasionally 
cheered  him  with  huzzas  of  which  he  seemed  insensible.  He  came  up  to 
my  door  and  stopped.  I  could  see  no  more,  my  heart  told  me  it  was 
Ethan  Allen.  I  shut  my  window  and  retired  behind  my  table  and  my 
bottle.  I  was  certain  the  hour  of  reckoning  had  come.  There  was  no 
retreat.  Mr.  Staples,  my  clerk,  came  in  paler  than  ever,  and  clasping  his 
hands,  said,  '  Master, he  has  come  ! '  'I  know  it.'  '  He  entered  the  store 
and  asked  if  James  Rivington  lived  there,  I  answered  yes,  sir.  Is  he  at 
home  V  I  will  go  and  see,  sir,  I  said,  and  now  master  what  is  to  be  done  ! 
There  he  is  in  the  store  and  the  boys  peeping  at  him  from  the  street.'  I 


NEW  YORK.  309 

Bivington,  at  this  period,  quitted  printing;  and  discon 
tinued  his  Gazette,  which  failed  for  want  of  customers  to 
support  it ;  but  he  uninterruptedly,  and  to  a  large  extent, 
traded  in  hooks  and  stationery  several  years  after  the 
establishment  of  peace.  He  finally  failed  again,  and  being 
advanced  in  years,  closed  his  business,  and  soon  after  his 
life.  He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years,  in  July, 
1802.1 

It  is  but  justice  to  add,  that  Bivington,  for  some  time, 
conducted  his  Gazette  with  such  moderation  and  im 
partiality  as  did  him  honor.  To  the  other  qualities  of  a 
gentleman  he  added  benevolence,  vivacity,  and  with  the 
exceptions  already  mentioned,  punctuality  in  his  business. 
Interest  often  produces  a  change  of  opinion,  and  the  causes 
which  induced  Bivington  to  support  the  measures  of  the 
British  cabinet  were  sufficiently  apparent.  And  the  visit 
made  to  him  by  a  party  of  men  from  Connecticut,  who 


had  made  up  my  mind.  I  looked  at  the  Madeira  —  possibly  took  a  glass. 
Show  him  up,  said  I,  and  if  such  Madeira  cannot  mollify  him  he  must  be 
harder  than  adamant.  There  was  a  fearful  moment  of  suspense.  I  heard 
him  on  the  stairs,  his  long  sword  clanking  at  every  step.  In  he  stalked. 
'  Is  your  name  James  Rivington  '?'  It  is,  sir,  and  no  man  could  be  more 
happy  to  see  Colonel  Ethan  Allen.  '  Sir,  I  have  come  —  Not  another 
word,  my  dear  Colonel,  until  you  have  taken  a  seat  and  a  glass  of  old 
Madeira.  '  But,  sir,  I  don't  think  it  proper  —  Not  another  word, 
Colonel ;  taste  this  wine,  I  have  had  it  in  glass  for  ten  years  ;  old  wine 
you  know,  unless  it  is  originally  sound,  never  improves  by  age.  He 
took  the  glass,  swallowed  the  wine,  smacked  his  lips  and  shook  his  head 
approvingly.  '  Sir,  I  come  —  Not  another  word  until  you  have  taken 
another  glass,  and  then,  my  dear  Colonel,  we  will  talk  of  old  affairs,  and 
I  have  some  queer  events  to  detail.  In  short,  we  finished  two  bottles  of 
Madeira,  and  parted  as  good  friends  as  if  we  had  never  had  cause  to  be 
otherwise." —  See  Publishers'  Circular,  xv,  10  ;  N.  Y.  Col.  History,  vui, 
568  ;  Subine's  Loyalists.— If. 

1  Rivington  was  twice  married,  first  to  Miss  Minshull  in  England,  and 
second  to  Miss  Elisabeth  Van  Home,  of  New  York  The  latter  died 
in  July,  1795,  leaving  descendants.  Susan  Rivington,  daughter  of  James, 
died  June  16,  1843,  aged  74.  His  portrait  is  preserved  in  the  gallery  of 
the  New  York  Historical  Society,  and  one  of  the  streets  in  that  city  still 
bears  his  name. — M. 


310          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

destroyed  his  press,  etc.,  as  will  be  hereafter  related,  doubt 
less  tended  to  prejudice  his  mind  against  the  American 
cause ;  and  prompted  him,  after  he  was  appointed  printer 
to  the  king,  and  placed  under  the  protection  of  the  royal 
army,  boldly,  and  without  disguise,  to  carry  his  resentment 
beyond  the  bounds  of  truth  and  justice.  [See  Newspapers, 
New  York.-] 

ROBERT  HODGE  was  born  in  Scotland,  served  his  appren 
ticeship  with  a  printer  in  Edinburgh,  and,  when  out  of  his 
time,  went  to  London,  where  he  worked  as  a  journeyman 
two  years.  In  1770,  he  came  to  America,  and  was 
employed  in  the  printing  house  of  John  Dunlap,  in  Phila 
delphia.  Hodge  was  industrious,  prudent,  and  a  good 
workman.  He  became  acquainted  with  a  young  printer 
possessing  similar  qualifications.  By  their  industry  and 
economy  they  soon  acquired  sufficient  property  to  purchase 
printing  materials.  With  these,  in  1772,  they  began  busi 
ness  in  Baltimore,  where  they  intended  to  have  published 
a  newspaper ;  but,  not  meeting  with  the  encouragement 
they  expected,  before  the  end  of  the  year  they  left  Balti 
more,  and  settled  in  New  York.  Here  they  opened  a 
printing  house  in  Maiden  lane,  and  commenced  business 
under  the  firm  of  HODGE  &  SHOBER.  Their  partnership 
continued  for  more  than  two  years.  Early  in  1775,  Hodge 
sold  his  part  of  the  press  and  types  to  his  partner,  and  they 
separated. 

During  their  partnership  they  printed  the  greater  part 
of  an  edition  of  Josephus's  Works,  in  four  volumes  octavo, 
for  a  bookseller  in  Philadelphia.  But  it  appearing  in  the 
event,  that  he  was  not  able  to  support  the  expense  of  the 
whole  of  the  edition  through  the  press,  Hodge  completed 
the  impression.  On  the  approach  of  the  British  troops, 
who  in  1776  took  the  city,  Hodge  removed  into  the  country, 
but  could  not  take  with  him  all  his  books;  he  left  in  the 


NEW  YORK.  311 

city  one  half  of  them  in  sheets,  and  those  he  lost.  He  re 
mained  in  the  country  in  the  state  of  New  York  for  a  year 
or  two,  when  he  went  to  Boston,  and  there,  in  connection 
with  others,  opened  a  printing  house. 

When  peace  was  restored  to  the  country,  he  returned  to 
New  York,  and  began  the  business  of  a  bookseller.  Soon 
after  he  entered  into  partnership  with  two  other  booksellers, 
who  were  his  countrymen,  and  they  opened  a  printing 
house  of  which  he  had  the  management.  This  company 
continued  in  business  for  more  than  three  years.  During 
this  period,  Hodge's  dwelling  house  and  bookstore  were 
consumed  by  fire,  by  which  unfortunate  event  he  lost  a 
considerable  part  of  his  property  ;  and,  soon  after,  the  part 
nership  was  dissolved. 

Hodge  continued  the  business  of  a  bookseller  for  several 
subsequent  years;  he  then  sold  his  stock  in  trade,  pur 
chased  an  estate  in  Brooklyn,  on  Long  Island,  to  which  he 
retired.  He  died  in  August,  1813,  aged  67  years. 

FREDERICK  SHOBER  was  born  in  Germany,  but  served  an 
apprenticeship  with  AnthonyArmbruster,  a  German  printer, 
in  Philadelphia.  He  worked  as  a  journeyman  for  two  or 
three  years,  was  attentive  to  business,  and  very  prudent. 
In  1772,  he  entered  into  partnership  with  Robert  Hodge, 
and  they  opened  a  printing  house  in  Baltimore.  They 
remained  in  Baltimore  a  few  months,  and  then  removed 
to  New  York.  In  1775,  they  closed  the  concerns  of  the 
company.  Shober  purchased  the  property  of  Hodge  in  the 
printing  house,  and  sold  it  to  Samuel  Loudon,  who  became 
his  partner.  The  name  of  the  company  was,  SHOBER  & 
LOUDON.  The  confusion  into  which  business  of  every  kind 
was  thrown  by  the  commencement  of  hostilities  alarmed 
Shober;  and,  before  the  close  of  the  year  1775,  he  sold 
his  right  in  the  printing  materials  to  Loudon,  retired  to 
the  country,  purchased  a  farm,  engaged  in  the  business  of 


312  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

agriculture,  and  never  resumed  printing.     He  died  about 
1806,  at,  or  near,  Shrewsbury  in  New  Jersey. 

SAMUEL  LOUDON,  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  settled  in 
New  York  some  years  before  the  revolution  as  a  ship 
chandler.  In  1775,  he  purchased  a  part  of  the  printing 
materials  owned  by  Shober ;  in  company  with  whom  he 
began  printing.  They  were  but  a  few  months  together 
before  Shober  judged  it  prudent,  from  the  existing  situation 
of  public  affairs,  to  leave  New  York,  and  retire  to  a  farm. 
Loudon  purchased  the  remainder  of  the  printing  materials, 
and  opened  a  printing  house  "  in  Water  street,  between 
the  Coffee  house  and  the  Old  Slip." 

Loudon  was  decidedly  a  whig,  and  in  the  first  week  in 
January,  1776,  published  a  newspaper  devoted  to  the  cause 
of  the  country.  A  short  time  before  the  British  army  took 
possession  of  the  city,  in  1776,  he  removed  with  his  press 
to  Fishkill,  and  there  published  The  New  York  Packet  until 
the  establishment  of  peace ;  when  he  returned  to  the  city, 
and  remained  in  business  long  after. 

Loudon  printed  a  few  books,  and  kept  a  book  store ;  he 
was  an  elder  in  "  the  Scotch  Seceder  church."  He  died 
at  Middletown  Point,  New  Jersey,  February  24,  1813, 
aged  eighty-six  years. 

JOHN  ANDERSON,  was  the  partner  of  Samuel  F.  Parker 
in  1773 ;  and,  having  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  re 
vive  Parker's  New  York  Gazette,  they  separated ;  after  which 
Anderson  opened  a  printing  house  "  onBeekman's-Slip;" 
and  issued  some  inconsiderable  articles  from  his  press.  In 
1775,  he  published  a  small  newspaper. 

I  have  been  informed  that  he  was  from  Scotland. 


NEW  YORK.  313 

ALBANY. 

ALEXANDER  AND  JAMES  ROBERTSON.  James  Robertson 
first  set  up  his  press  in  New  York,  in  1768.  After  remain 
ing  there  a  short  period,  he  entered  into  partnership  with 
his  brother.  They  published  in  that  city  The  New  York 
Chronicle,  which,  after  a  trial  of  about  two  years,  was  dis 
continued,  and  they  removed  to  Albany.  Until  that  time, 
New  York  was  the  only  place  in  the  colony  where  printing 
had  been  introduced. 

The  Robertsons  were  the  first  who  opened  a  printing 
house  in  Albany.  They  were  patronized  by  Sir  William 
Johnson,  then  superintendant  of  Indian  affairs,  who  ad 
vanced  them  money  to  purchase  a  press  and  types.  They 
began  business  there  about  the  year  1771,  and  soon  after 
published  a  newspaper. 

They  set  up  a  press  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  in  1775,  in  com 
pany  with  John  Trumbull,  but  continued  their  printing 
house  in  Albany  until  the  commencement  of  the  revolu 
tionary  war;  when,  being  detected  in  publishing  and  circu 
lating  in  a  private  manner,  highly  obnoxious  handbills,  etc., 
in  support  of  the  royal  cause  which  they  decidedly  espoused, 
they  judged  it  expedient  hastily  to  leave  the  city,  and  went 
to  Norwich.  They  left  their  press  and  types  in  the  care 
of  a  friend  who  resided  in  the  vicinity  of  Albany.  This 
friend  removed  them  privately  to  his  farm,  and  there  buried 
them.  They  were  afterwards  taken  up  and  sold  to  Solomon 
Balantine,  who  began  the  establishment  of  a  second  news 
paper  in  that  city  in  1782. 

The  Robertsons  remained  in  Norwich  until  the  British 
army,  in  1776,  took  possession  of  New  York,  when  they 
went  to  that  city,  and  there  published  The  Royal  American 
Gazette.  [See  New  York  —  Norwich.'] 


314  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


NEW  JERSEY. 

Several  presses  were  occasionally  set  up  in  this  province 
by  Keimer,  and  others,  from  Philadelphia  and  New  York, 
to  print  the  billaof  credit,  or  paper  currency,  and  to  do  other 
occasional  printing  for  the  government;  and,  when  the 
particular  business  was  accomplished,  the  printers  returned 
to  the  place  of  their  permanent  residence  with  their  presses. 

WOODBRIDGE. 

The  first  press  established  in  New  Jersey,  it  appears, 
was  at  "Woodbridge,  and  for  many  years  this  was  the  only 
one  in  the  colony. 

The  printing  which  had  been  done  for  government  by 
presses  set  up  occasionally,  as  mentioned  above,  was  exe 
cuted  at  Burlington.  It  was  there  that  Keimer,  in  1727, 
sent  Franklin  to  print  the  bills  of  credit ;  for  which,  Frank 
lin  observes,  he  "  engraved  various  ornaments,  and  per 
formed  the  business  to  general  satisfaction." 

JAMES  PARKER,  who  has  been  mentioned  among  the 
printers  of  New  Haven  and  New  York,  was  born  in  that 
borough,  and  there  began  business  about  the  year  1751. 
He  had  for  several  years  conducted  a  press  and  a  news 
paper  in  New  York,  but  having  taken  William  Weyman 
as  a  partner  in  his  concerns  in  that  city,  he  intrusted  the 
management  of  the  establishment  to  him,  and  returned 
himself  to  the  place  of  his  nativity.  There  he  printed  a 
folio  edition  of  the  Laws  of  the  Province*  and,  from  time 
to  time,  the  votes  and  resolves  of  the  legislature,  and  did 


1  The  copies  of  this  edition  of  The  Laws  of  New  Jersey,  were  sold  for  five 
dollars  each.  The  editor  was  Judge  Nevill,  who  had  it  printed  on  his 
own  account. 


NEW  JERSEY.  315 

other  work  for  goverment.  There  also  he  published, 
monthly,  more  than  two  years,  a  magazine,  arid  otherwise 
employed  his  press  on  his  own  account. 

To  accommodate  the  printing  of  Smith's  History  of  New 
Jersey,  in  1765,  Parker  removed  his  press  to  Burlington, 
and  there  began  and  completed  the  work,  consisting  of 
570  pages,  demy  octavo,  and  then  returned  with  his  press 
to  Woodbridge. 

Parker  was  a  correct  and  eminent  printer.  Besides  his 
professional  concerns,  he  was  much  employed  in  the  pub 
lic  transactions ;  he  was  a  magistrate,  a  captain  of  a  troop 
of  horse,  in  New  Jersey,  and  comptroller  and  secretary 
of  the  general  postoffice  for  the  northern  district  of  the 
British  colonies.  He  possessed  a  sound  judgment,  and  a 
good  heart;  was  industrious  in  business,  and  upright  in 
his  dealings. 

He  died  July  2,  1770,  at  Burlington,  where  he  had  re 
sided  a  short  time  for  the  benefit  of  his  health.  His 
funeral  was  attended  five  miles  from  Burlington,  by  a 
number  of  gentlemen  of  that  city,  and  was  met  at  Amboy 
by  others,  who  then  joined  the  procession  to  his  house  in 
Woodbridge,  where  a  numerous  concourse  was  collected, 
and  accompanied  his  remains  to  the  cemetery  where  those 
of  his  ancestors  reposed. 

[See  N.  Haven — New  York  —  Hist.  Newspapers.] 

SAMUEL  F.  PARKER  has  been  mentioned,  as  connected 
with  his  father  in  the  printing  business,  during  several 
years ;  and,  afterward,  with  John  Anderson,  in  New  York. 

After  the  death  of  his  father,  he  became  possessed  of  a 
large  printing  apparatus  ;  but  from  it  he  derived  very  little 
benefit,  as  he  leased  the  establishment  at  New  York,  not 
much  to  his  advantage,  and  sold  that  at  Woodbridge,  in 
the  course  of  a  few  years.  He  did  not  improve  either  his 
time  or  his  talents;  his  health  decayed;  and  he  slept  with 


316          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

his  fathers,  before  he  had  attained  the  number  of  years  to 
which  they  arrived. 

BURLINGTON. 

Some  suppose  that  William  Bradford  introduced  printing 
into  that  city  before  the  settlement  of  Philadelphia ;  but  that 
opinion  is  so  far  from  being  certain  it  is  not  even  probable. 

ISAAC  COLLINS,  was  a  native  of  Delaware.  His  parents 
were  from  England,  and  died  in  early  life.  He  served  his 
apprenticeship,  until  he  was  twenty  years  of  age,  with 
James  Adams,  at  Wilmington.  He  then  went,  by  the  con 
sent  of  Adams,  who  had  but  little  business,  and  finished 
his  apprenticeship  with  William  Rind  at  Williamsburg, 
Virginia.  When  of  age,  he  was  employed  by  Goddard 
and  others  in  Philadelphia ;  and  for  his  extraordinary 
attention  to  business,  received  twenty-five  per  cent,  more 
wages  than  other  journeymen  in  the  same  printing  house. 
For  a  short  time  he  was  the  partner  of  Joseph  Crukshank, 
in  that  city. 

By  the  death  of  James  Parker,  there  was  an  opening  for 
the  settlement  of  a  printer  in  that  colony.  Collins  em 
braced  the  opportunity ;  and,  being  supplied  with  a  press, 
types,  etc.,  by  his  late  partner,  he  removed  to,  and  began 
business  in  Burlington  in  1770,  and  resided  there  for 
several  years  after  the  commencement  of  the  war.  In  1770 
he  was  appointed  printer  to  the  government,  or,  "  to  the 
King's  Most  Excellent  Majesty,"  as  appears  from  the  im 
print  of  proclamations,  etc.,  which  issued  from  his  press. 
In  1777  he  began  a  newspaper. 

He  afterwards  removed  to  Trenton,  and  there  prosecuted 
his  business  for  a  number  of  years.  He  continued  to  be 
printer  to  the  state,  and  at  Trenton  he  printed  a  handsome 
and  very  correct  quarto  edition  of  the  Bible;  also,  an  edi- 


NEW  JERSEY.  317 

tion  in  octavo  of  the  New  Testament ;  and  several  other 
books. 

Collins  was  of  the  society  of  Friends,  and  was  a  correct 
and  neat  printer.  He  received  much  assistance  from  the 
quakers  in  printing  the  Bible,  particularly  from  those  in 
Philadelphia,  New  Jersey,  and  New  York.  He  subse 
quently  removed  to  New  York,  there  set  up  his  press,  and 
continued  active  in  book  printing  for  some  years.  His 
parents  dying  when  he  was  very  young,  he  had  nothing  on 
which  he  could  depend  for  his  advancement  in  life,  but  his 
own  exertions.  After  an  attention  to  business  for  thirty- 
five  years,  he  was  enabled  to  retire  and  enjoy,  in  the  society 
of  his  friends,  the  reward  of  his  industry.  He  brought  up, 
and  educated  in  a  reputable  manner,  a  large  family,  and 
had  a  son  a  printer  in  New  York.  He  died  in  March,  1817, 
in  Burlington  aged  71  years. 

[See  Newspapers.'] 


318          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


DELAWARE. 

Printing  had  a  late  introduction  into  Delaware  ;  it  was, 
Georgia  excepted,the  last  of  the  thirteen  colonies  where  a 
press  was  established.  The  laws,  etc.,  were  printed  in 
Philadelphia  previous  to  the  year  1761. 

WILMINGTON. 

The  first  printing  house  introduced  into  that  colony  was 
opened  in  that  town  only  about  fourteen  years  before  the 
commencement  of  the  war,  by 

JAMES  ADAMS,  who  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  learned 
the  art  of  printing  in  Londonderry.  When  of  age,  he 
came  to  Philadelphia,  and  was  there  employed  seven  years 
by  Franklin  &  Hall. 

He  began  business  for  himself,  in  that  city,  about  the 
year  1760 ;  but,  in  1761,  he  removed  his  press  to  Wil 
mington,  and  established  himself  there.  In  1762,  he 
published  proposals  for  printing  a  newspaper;  but  not 
meeting  with  encouragement,  it  was  discontinued  after 
being  published  six  months. 

He  printed  for  government,  and  although  his  business 
was  not  extensive,  he  acquired  considerable  property. 
Several  works  on  religious  subjects,  came  from  his  press; 
and  he  published  one  or  more  almanacs  annually,  and 
bound  and  sold  books. 

Adams  was  a  good  workman,  an  exemplary  Christian, 
and  much  esteemed.  When  the  British  army  were  ap 
proaching  Philadelphia,  in  1777,  he  removed  his  printing 
materials,  family,  etc.,  to  the  vicinity  of  Doylestown,  Bucks 
county,  Pa.  There  he  printed  an  Almanac,  but  other 
wise  his  press  was  not  employed.  When  the  British 


DELAWARE.  319 

evacuated   Philadelphia,  in   1778,    he  returned  with  his 
press,  etc.,  to  Wilmington. 

He  died  near  the  close  of  the  year  1792,  aged  sixty 
three  years.  He  left  a  large  family;  four  sons  and  six 
daughters.  The  sons  were  all  brought  up  to  printing. 
Two  of  them  succeeded  their  father,  but  were  not  suc 
cessful  in  business. 

The  following  anecdote  finds  a  place  here.  Adams  had 
hired  a  man  to  pull  a  press,  while  an  apprentice  was  em 
ployed  to  beat  the  form.  The  man  had  engaged  at  a 
shilling  a  token.  The  boy  was  repeatedly,  in  the  course 
of  a  day,  called  by  the  mistress  for  culinary  and  house 
purposes,  whereby  the  man  was  much  injured.  Finding 
his  bill,  each  week,  to  fall  short  of  his  maintenance,  he 
fell  upon  a  plan  to  augment  his  wages,  and  at  the  same 
time  fulfil  his  engagement.  When  the  boy  was  called 
away  he  would  still  pound  and  pull  the  sheets  as  usual, 
leaving  sufficient  time  between  each  for  the  form  to  be 
inked.  Adams  on  inspecting  the  heap,  and  perceiving  so 
many  faintly  impressed  copies,  asked  the  meaning.  "  I 
suppose  the  boy  has  not  beat  them;"  replied  the  man, 
"  and  I  am  sure  I  leave  him  time  enough  and  have  also 
performed  my  duty  in  pulling."  Adams  was  diverted 
with  the  humor  of  the  man,  and  ordered  the  boy  to  be  no 
more  called  from  the  press. 

Adams  was  the  only  printer  who  settled  in  Delaware 
before  1775. 


320          HISTORY  or  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


MARYLAND. 

A  printing  house  was  not  established  in  Maryland  for 
more  than  ninety  years  after  the  province  was  granted  by 
King  Charles  I,  to  George  Calvert,  baron  of  Baltimore,  in 
Ireland. 

ANNAPOLIS. 

The  first  press  was  set  up  in  that  city,  in  1726. l  Before 
that  time  the  printing  for  the  colony  was  done  at  Philadel 
phia,  by  Andrew  Bradford. 

WILLIAM  PARKS.  The  earliest  book  I  have  met  with, 
printed  in  Maryland  is,  A  complete  Collection  of  the  Laws  of 
Maryland.  Collected  by  Authority.  This  work  is  dedicated 
to  Lord  Baltimore.  Imprint  —  "Annapolis,  Printed  by 
William  Parks.  1727." 

Parks  began  a  newspaper  either  in  1727  or  in  1728,  most 
probably  the  year  last  mentioned.  This  paper,  it  appears 
from  the  best  information,  was  carried  on  about  eight 
years,  when  it  was  discontinued,  and  Parks  established 
himself  in  Virginia.  He  had,  in  1729,  printed  at  Williams- 
burg,  the  Laws  of  Virginia,  etc.  During  several  years  he 
printed  for  both  colonies,  and  had  a  press  in  each. 

About  the  year  1733,  he  quitted  Maryland;  and,  some 
time  after,  the  government  of  the  colony  procured  another 
printer.  By  Keimer's  account,  the  government  of  each 


1  Mr.  J.  Sabin  sends  the  following  title :  The  |  Declaration  |  of  the  |  Rea 
sons  and  Motives  |  For  the  Present  |  Appearing  in  Arms  |  of  |  Their  Ma 
jesties  |  Protestant  Subjects  |  In  the  Province  of  |  Maryland.  |  Licens'd, 
November  28th,  1689.  J.  F.  |  [Colophon  :  ]  Maryland,  Printed  by  William 
Nuthead  at  the  (Jity  of  St.  \  Maries.  \  Reprinted  in  London,  and  Sold  by  Ran 
dal  Tay-  |  lor,  near  Stationers  Hall,  1689.  |  Folio,  pp.  8.  No  clue  has  been 
found  to  any  press  in  Maryland  so  early  as  this. — M. 


MARYLAND.  321 

colony  paid  Parks  a  salary  of  two  hundred  pounds  per 
annum  in  country  produce.1 

JONAS  GREEN  was  born  in  Boston ;  he  was  the  son  of 
Timothy  Green,  who,  in  1714,  removed  from  Boston  to 
New  London.  The  government  of  Maryland  having 
offered  a  generous  consideration  to  a  printer  who  would 
establish  a  press  in  Annapolis,  he  closed  with  the  proposal 
and  in  1740  opened  a  printing  house  in  that  city.  He  was 
appointed  printer  for  the  colony,  and  had  granted  to  him 
an  annual  salary  of  500£.  currency.  For  this  sum  he  printed 
the  laws  as  they  were  made  from  session  to  session,  pro 
clamations,  etc.,  he  being  paid  the  cost  of  paper  used  in 
the  work.  In  1745  he  began  a  newspaper  which  was  con 
tinued  by  his  successors.  He  printed  in  1755  a  revised 
edition  of  the  Laws  ;  and  in  1765,  Bacon's  Laws  of  Mary 
land,  in  a  large  folio  volume.  His  printing  was  correct, 
and  few,  if  any,  in  the  colonies  exceeded  him  in  the  neat 
ness  of  his  work.  Green,  possessed  handsome  talents,  was 
respected  for  his  conduct  in  private  life,  and,  in  the  circle 
of  his  acquaintance,  was  celebrated  for  his  wit  and  urbanity. 

A  few  years  before  he  died  he  received  William  Rind 
as  a  partner.  The  firm  of  the  company  was,  GREEN  & 
RIND.  In  1765,  Rind  removed  to,  and  settled  in,  Virginia. 

Green  died  April  7th,  1767,  aged  fifty-six  years. 

ANNE  CATHARINE  GREEN,  was  born  in  Holland,  and 
came  when  an  infant,  with  her  parents,  to  Maryland.  She 
married  Jonas  Green ;  and,  in  1767,  succeeded  him  in  his 
business.  She  printed  for  the  colony,  and  published  the 
Gazette.  William  Green,  her  son,  became  her  partner  in 


1  See  Keimer's  poetical  address  to  his  customers  at  Barbadoes,  extracted 
from  the  Barbadoes  Gazette  of  May  4th,  1734.     Keimer  had  been  a  printer 
in  Philadelphia,  and  must  have  been  acquainted  with  the  public  and  pri 
vate  concerns  of  the  few  printers  then  in  the  colonies. 
33 


322          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

1768 ;  the  firm  was,  ANNE  CATHARINE  GREEN  &  SON.  Wil 
liam  died  in  August  1770,  and  Anne  Catharine  continued 
the  business  in  her  own  name.  She  was  the  mother  of 
six  sons  and  eight  daughters.  She  died  March  23,  1775, 
aged  forty-two  years. 

FREDERICK  GREEN,  the  son  of  Jonas  and  Anne  Catharine, 
was  born  in  Annapolis,  and  brought  up  to  printing  by  his 
father.  He  succeeded  his  mother  as  printer  to  the  colony, 
and  in  other  business,  in  1775  ;  and  about  the  year  1777 
he  entered  into  partnership  with  his  brother  Samuel, 
under  the  firm  of  FREDERICK  &  SAMUEL  GREEN.  They 
then  printed,  and  kept  the  postoffice,  "  in  Charles-Street." 
They  were  the  fifth  generation  of  a  regular  descent  of 
printers  in  this  country.  Their  great-great  grandfather 
began  printing  at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  about  1649; 
as  has  been  mentioned  in  the  account  given  of  him  and 
his  other  descendants. 

After  the  decease  of  Frederick  and  Samuel  Green,  the 
business  was  continued  by Green,  son  of  the  last  men 
tioned  Green,  a  great-great-great  grandson  of  Samuel  Green 
printer  in  Cambridge. 

BALTIMORE. 

This  city  was  but  a  small  village  in  1755.  Printing  was 
not  introduced  there  till  several  years  after  that  time. 

NICHOLAS  HASSELBAUGH  was  born  in  Pennyslvania,  of 
parents  who  were  of  German  extraction.  He  was  taught 
printing  by  Sower,  in  Germantown,  and  also  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  papermaking.  This  last  branch  of  manu 
facturing  he  followed  some  time  near  that  place ;  but, 
eventually,  removed  and  established  a  printing  press  in 
Baltimore. 

He  was  well  supplied  with  types,  manufactured  in  Ger- 


MARYLAND.  323 

mantown,  for  printing  both  in  the  German  and  English 
languages ;  and  was  the  first  who  printed  in  that  city.  He 
issued  school  and  other  small  books,  etc.,  from  his  press,  in 
both  languages  ;  and  contemplated  publishing  a  German 
translation  of  the  Bible.  The  following  anecdote,  which 
many  years  since  was  circulated  in  Maryland,  gives  strength 
to  the  supposition  that  he  was  actually  engaged  in  that 
work. 

A  missionary  for  propagating  the  gospel  among  the 
Indians,  was  engaged  in  that  benevolent  design  in  the 
back  settlements  of  Maryland;  and,  at  a  time  when  a 
number  of  Indians  were  assembled  to  hear  him  unfold  and 
explain  the  doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion,  he  had  a 
Bible  in  his  hand,  which  he  held  forth,  and  with  much 
zeal  pronounced  it  tobe  "  the  gospel — the  truth — the  work 
of  God!"  He  was  interrupted  —  "What!"  said  one  of 
them,  "  did  the  great  all  powerful  spirit  make  this  book  ?" 
"  Yes,"  replied  the  missionary,  "  it  is  his  work."  The 
Indian,  taking  the  expression  according  to  the  literal  im 
port  of  the  words,  answered  indignantly  —  "I  believe  it  to 
be  a  great  lie !  I  go  to  Baltimore  last  month,  where  I  see 
Dutchmen  make  him.  Great  Spirit  want  no  Dutchmen  to 
help  him."  With  these  words  the  savage  took  an  abrupt 
leave  of  his  instructor. 

This  anecdote  might  have  given  rise  to  the  opinion  that 
Hasselbaugh  had  printed  a  part  of  the  Bible.  It  was  related 
when  there  was  no  other  printer  in  Baltimore.  The  fact, 
after  all,  might  have  been,  that  the  Indian,  when  at  Balti 
more,  had  seen  some  printing  performed ;  perhaps  a  spel 
ling  book  was  at  the  time  in  the  press,  and  probably  he 
did  not  know  one  book  from  another. 

Hasselbaugh  was  an  inhabitant  of  Baltimore  for  several 
years.  He  possessed  a  spirit  of  enterprise,  was  fertile  in 
invention,  and  acquired  a  handsome  property.  To  facili 
tate  some  plan  of  business  which  he  had  newly  formed,  he 


324          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

went  abroad  and  was  lost  at  sea.  His  widow,  in  1773,  sold 
his  printing  materials  to  William  Goddard,  who  again 
sold  part  of  them  to  Bailey,  printer  in  Lancaster,  Pennsyl 
vania. 

ENOCH  STORY,  THE  YOUNGER,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  served  an  apprenticeship  with  Hall  &  Sellers  in  Phila 
delphia,  as  has  been  related  in  treating  of  the  printers  of 
that  city.  He  began  printing  in  Baltimore  previous  to  the 
year  1773.  Story  sold  his  types  to  Goddard,  returned  to 
Philadelphia,  and  printed  in  Strawberry  alley. 

HODGE  AND  SHOBER  opened  a  printing  house  in  Balti 
more,  in  1772  ;  and  issued  proposals  for  publishing  a  news 
paper;  but,  before  the  end  of  the  year,  they  removed  to 
New  York.  [See  New  York.'] 

WILLIAM  GODDARD  has  been  mentioned  as  the  first 
printer  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island ;  and,  afterwards,  as 
the  publisher  of  the  Pennsylvania  Chronicle  in  Philadelphia. 
In  1773  he  removed  to  Baltimore. 

I  have  already  observed  that  Goddard  was  a  good  printer, 
and  an  able  editor;  but  he,  in  many  instances, was  unsuc 
cessful.  The  partnership  with  Galloway  and  Wharton  in 
Philadelphia  proved  very  unfortunate,  and  terminated  un- 
profitably  for  Goddard,  and  the  parties  separated  much 
dissatisfied  with  each  other.  After  two  trials  to  establish 
himself  in  business,  he  began  "  anew,"  as  he  relates,  "  ou 
the  small  capital  of  a  single,  solitary  guinea."  He  made  in 
terest  to  purchase  the  materials  in  the  printing  house  of 
Hasselbaugh,  and  added  to  them  the  few  owned  by  Enoch 
Story.  He  again  began  a  newspaper,  the  third  attempted 
in  the  province ;  but  at  this  time  there  was  only  one  pub 
lished,  the  Maryland  Gazette.  After  remaining  at  Balti- 


MARYLAND.  325 

more  nearly  two  years,  he  found  it  necessary  to  devote 
some  time  to  the  settlement  of  his  former  concerns. 

Another  object  at  this  period  attracted  his  attention.  A 
plan  was  formed  to  abolish,  in  effect,  the  general  postoffice 
under  the  direction  of  the  British  government,  by  estab 
lishing,  in  opposition,  a  line  of  postriders  from  Georgia  to 
New  Hampshire.  This  system  was  to  have  been  supported 
from  a  fund  to  be  raised  by  the  subscriptions  of  individuals. 
Goddard  left  his  printing  house  in  the  care  of  his  sister, 
and  went  through  the  colonies  with  a  view  to  carry  this 
plan  into  operation.  A  large  sum  was  subscribed,  and  the 
scheme  was  in  a  rapid  state  of  progression,  when  the  revo 
lutionary  war  began. 

When  congress  superseded  the  British  government  in 
the  management  of  the  post  office,  Franklin  was  continued 
as  postmaster  general,  with  the  privilege  of  giving  com 
missions  to  all  other  officers  in  the  department.  The  ser 
vices  rendered  by  Goddard  to  this  establishment,  led  him 
to  believe,  and  his  friends  to  expect,  that  he  would  receive 
the  appointment  of  secretary  and  comptroller  of  the  post 
office ;  but  Franklin  thought  proper  to  give  this  office  to 
Richard  Bache,  his  son-in-law,  and  tendered  to  Goddard 
the  choice  of  surveyorship  of  post  roads,  or  the  office  of 
deputy  postmaster  for  Baltimore  and  Norfolk.  Goddard 
was  greatly  disappointed,  but  the  state  of  his  affairs  made 
it  expedient  that  he  should  accept  either  the  one  or  the 
other  of  these  places,  and  he  chose  that  of  surveyor  of 
post  roads.  In  1776,  Franklin  was  sent  on  an  embassy  to 
Europe ;  and  his  son-in-law,  Bache,  succeeded  him  as  post 
master  general.  Goddard  again  expected  the  office  of 
comptroller,  but  being  again  disappointed  he  resigned  his 
surveyorship  ;  and  it  was  apprehended  that  there  was,  from 
that  time,  some  change  in  his  political  principles. 

Goddard,  after  having  resigned  his  commission,  returned 
to  Baltimore,  and  there  resided ;  but  the  business  of  the 


326          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

printing  house  continued  to  be  under  the  management, 
and  in  the  name  of  his  sister.  It  was,  however,  well 
known  that  he  was  interested  in  the  Maryland  Journal,  and 
had  the  control  of  it. 

A  number  of  zealous  advocates  for  the  American  cause 
had  associated  in  Baltimore,  and  were  called  the  Whig 
club.  Of  this  club  Commodore  Nicholson,  then  com 
mander  of  the  frigate  Virginia,  belonging  to  the  United 
States,  was  president.  In  February,  1777,  a  report  was 
circulated  that  the  British  general  Howe  had  offered  the 
most  eligible  terms  of  accommodation  to  congress,  which 
had  been  rejected  and  concealed  from  the  people.  To 
ridicule  this  false  and  idle  report,  an  ironical  piece,  signed 
Tom  Tell  Truth,  written  by  a  member  of  congress,1  appeared 
in  Goddard's  paper,  published  by  his  sister ;  but  for  fear 
this  piece  might  be  misconceived  by  some,  and  produce  a 
serious  belief  in  them  that  these  offers  had  actually  been 
made  to  congress,  another  piece  was  published  in  the 
same  paper  to  counteract  any  bad  tendencies  of  the  first. 
Both  pieces  were  written  by  the  same  person.  The  Whig 
club  was  alarmed  ;  the  members  of  it  believed  these  pieces 
would  produce  dangerous  effects,  and  supposed  that  they 
were  written  by  some  British  emissary.  They  enquired  of 
Miss  Goddard  who  was  the  author ;  she  referred  them  to  her 
brother.  Goddard  was  applied  to,  and  refused  to  give  up 
the  author,  who  was  no.t  in  town,  and  could  not  then  be 
consulted.  Some  warm  words  passed  between  Goddard 
and  the  deputed  members  of  the  club.  The  deputation 
was  renewed,  with  a  written  mandate  ordering  him  to 
appear  before  them  the  next  evening.  Goddard  treated 
the  mandate  and  the  deputies  who  bore  it  rather  cavalierly, 
and  did  not  obey.  The  club  then  deputed  a  committee  of 
six  of  its  members  to  bring  him  before  them,  and  if  neces- 


1  Judge  C***e,  as  I  am  informed. 


MARYLAND.  327 

eary,  to  use  force.  Goddard  refused  to  accompany  the 
committee ;  some  of  them  were  armed,  and  they  seized 
him,  and  by  violence  carried  him  to  the  club  room ;  here 
he  was  refractory,  and  would  not  discover  the  author. 
The  club,  in  consequence,  passed  the  following  resolution, 
viz. 

"  In  Whig  Club,  March  4,  1777. 

"  Resolved,  that  William  Goddard  do  leave  this  town  by 
twelve  o'clock  to-morrow  morning,  and  the  county  in  three 
days.  Should  he  refuse  due  obedience  to  this  notice,  he 
will  be  subject  to  the  resentment  of  a  LEGION." 


Goddard  went  the  next  day  to  Annapolis,  where  the 
general  assembly  was  then  in  session,  and  presented  a 
memorial  to  the  legislature,  detailing  his  case,  and  pray 
ing  for  protection.  The  house  referred  the  case  to  their 
committee  of  aggrievances,  which  reported,  that  "  the  pro 
ceedings  of  the  whig  club  were  a  manifest  violation  of  the 
constitution,  and  directly  contrary  to  the  declaration  of 
rights  assented  to  by  the  representatives  of  the  freemen 
of  the  state.  The  club  published  a  vindication  of  their 
proceedings.  Goddard,  in  reply,  published  a  pamphlet, 
giving  an  account  of  the  whole  transaction,  and  satirizing 
the  members  of  the  club  with  some  severity.  This  pamph 
let  increased  the  violence  of  the  club,  and  Goddard  thought 
himself  in  danger  from  their  resentment.  He  therefore 
presented  a  second  memorial  to  the  house  of  delegates ; 
in  consequence  of  which,  the  house,  on  the  llth  of  April, 
1777,  passed  the  following  resolutions. 

"Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  the  persons  in  Balti 
more  town,  associated  and  stiled,  The  Whig  Club,  are  a 
most  daring  infringement  and  a  manifest  violation  of  the 
constitution  of  this  state,  directly  contrary  to  the  Declara 
tion  of  Rights,  and  tend,  in  their  consequences,  unless 


328          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

timely  checked,  to  the  destruction  of  all  regular  govern 
ment. 

•  "  Resolved  unanimously,  That  the  governor  be  requested 
to  issue  his  proclamation,  declaring  all  bodies  of  men  asso 
ciated  together,  or  meeting  for  the  purpose,  and  usurping 
any  of  the  powers  of  government,  and  presuming  to  exercise 
any  power  over  the  persons  or  property  of  any  subjects  of 
this  state,  or  to  carry  into  execution  any  of  the  laws  thereof, 
unlawful  assemblies,  and  requiring  all  such  assemblies  and 
meetings  instantly  to  disperse. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  governor  be  requested  to  afford 
William  Goddard  the  protection  of  the  law  of  the  land,  and 
to  direct  the  justices  of  Baltimore  county  to  give  him  every 
protection  in  their  power,  against  all  violence  or  injury  to 
his  person  or  property." 

Governor  Johnson,  on  the  17th  of  April,  1777,  issued  his 
proclamation  conformably  to  the  above  resolutions.  The 
interposition  of  government  in  favor  of  Goddard,  did  not 
immediately  secure  to  him  a  state  of  tranquility.  He  was 
accused  of  toryism,  but  the  accusation  did  not  appear  to  be 
supported.  It  was,  however,  sometime  before  his  enemies 
ceased  to  be  troublesome. 

In  June,  1779,  Goddard  and  Eleazar  Oswald  advertised 
that  they  had  formed  a  partnership  as  printers,  booksellers 
and  stationers;  but  this  connection  was  of  very  short 
duration.  Goddard's  sister  continued  to  publish  the  Jour 
nal.  On  the  6th  of  July}  1779,  appeared  in  that  paper 
certain  "  Queries  political  and  military,"  written  by  General 
Charles  Lee.  These  were  sent  to  the  press  by  Goddard, 
and  when  published  they  occasioned  great  commotion  in 
Baltimore.  An  assembly  of  "  the  people"  was  holden, 
and  a  committee  consisting  of  about  forty  was  chosen  to 
wait  on  Goddard  and  demand  the  author  of  the  queries. 

This  occasioned  a  considerable  ferment,  and  the  disagree 
ment  between  Goddard  and  the  Whig  Club  rose  to  a  very 


MARYLAND.  329 

high  pitch.  The  violence  of  the  clubists  was  excessive ; 
but  he  resisted  them  with  much  energy.  However,  after  a 
long  and  arduous  contest,  in  which  Goddard  was,  agreeably 
to  the  language  of  the  day,  "  several  times  mobbed,  and 
grievously  insulted,"  the  "  rage  of  the  people"  subsided; 
and  he  finally  quitted  Baltimore  on  good  terms  with  Legion 
and  the  profanum  vulgus. 

Goddard  was  variously  employed  until  1784,  when  he  re 
sumed  his  printing  house,  and  recommenced  the  publication 
of  the  Journal.  About  this  time  a  rival  paper  was  pub 
lished  by  Hayes,  which  produced,  occasionally,  a  little 
typographical  sparring  from  each  of  the  editors.  In  1787, 
an  almanac  published  by  Goddard  was  ridiculed  by  Hayes. 
This  produced  a  fierce  paper  war,  in  which  neither  party 
spared  the  other;  but  Goddard  appeared  to  be  fully  a 
match  for  his  antagonist. 

Goddard  continued  in  active  business  until  1792  ;l  he 
then  sold  his  printing  establishment  to  his  brother-in-law, 
who,  although  not  a  printer,  had  been  in  partnership  with 
him.  He  published,  in  the  Journal,  a  valedictory  address 
to  the  citizens  of  Maryland,  whom  he  left  in  friendship, 
and  retired  himself  in  peace  to  a  farm  in  Johnston,  near 
Providence,  in  the  state  of  Rhode  Island. 

MARY  KATHARINE  GODDARD  was  born  in  Connecticut,  and 
was  the  sister  of  William  Goddard.  She  was  an  expert  and 
correct  compositor  of  types,  and  ably  conducted  the  print 
ing  house  of  her  brother  during  the  time  he  was  engaged 
in  other  concerns.  For  a  period  of  about  eight  years, 
the  Journal  and  every  work  which  issued  from  that  press, 
were  printed  and  published  in  her  name,  and  partly  on  her 
account.  She  kept  the  postoffice,  and  continued  the  news 
paper,  until  her  brother  resumed  its  publication  in  1784. 


1  Goddard  loaned  a  press  and  types  to  George  Richards,  who  first  pub 
lished  a  newspaper  in  Richmond,  entitled  The  Virginia  Gazette. 
34 


330  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


VIRGINIA. 

This  colony  was  the  first  British  settlement  in  America; 
but  it  is  not  the  oldest  in  printing.  Printing  was  not 
courted,  and  it  would  seem  not  desired,  till  many  years 
after  the  establishment  of  the  province. 

Sir  William  Berkeley,  who  was  governor  of  the  colony 
thirty-eight  years,  in  his  twenty-third  answer  to  the  in 
quiries  of  the  lords  of  the  committee  for  the  colonies  in 
1671,  sixty-four  years  after  the  settlement  of  Virginia, 
says,  "  I  thank  God  we  have  not  free  schools  nor  printing ; 
and  I  hope  we  shall  not  have  these  hundred  years.  For 
learning  has  brought  disobedience  and  heresy,  and  sects 
into  the  world ;  and  printing  has  divulged  them  and  libels 
against  the  government.  God  keep  us  from  both."  l 

I  had  heard  many  years  since,  that  printing,  at  an  early 
period  after  the  settlement  of  the  colony,  had  been  prohi 
bited.  I  made  many  inquiries  respecting  this  fact,  which 
led  to  a  strict  search  among  the  ancient  records  of  the 
colony,  by  several  of  the  first  law  characters,  but  no  trace 
of  any  act  of  government  for  that  purpose  was  discovered. 
For  this  reason  some  of  the  most  intelligent  Virginians 
were  led  into  the  opinion  that  no  such  despotic  regulation 
had  been  made.  But  the  fact  is  now  ascertained.  The 
discovery  was  made  by  William  W.  Hening,  a  very  re 
spectable  lawyer  of  Richmond,  who,  on  the  21st  of  July, 
1810,  favored  me  with  a  letter  on  the  subject,  of  which 
the  following  is  an  extract. 

"  I  am  now,  and  have  been  for  some  time  past,  engaged 
in  publishing  the  statutes  at  large  of  Virginia,  from  the 
first  session  of  the  legislature,  under  the  colonial  govern- 


1  Chalmer's  Annals,  vol.  n,  p.  328.     Gordon's  Hist.  Revolution,  American 
eel.,  vol.  i,  p.  53. 


VIRGINIA.  331 

ment,  in  the  year  1619 ;  and  I  have  in  ray  possession  not 
only  all  the  manuscripts  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  late  president  of 
the  United  States,  but  several  of  my  own  collection,  which 
contain  the  laws,  and  other  public  documents  relating  to 
Virginia,  till  the  period  when  the  art  of  printing  was  gene 
rally  diffused  among  us. 

"  These  manuscripts  are  so  void  of  method,  that  I  am 
compelled  to  read  them  page  by  page,  in  order  to  select 
matter  proper  for  my  publication.  In  perusing  one  of 
them  yesterday,  which  contains  minutes  of  the  proceedings 
of  the  governor  and  council,  in  their  executive  character,  I 
found  the  following  entry,  which  is  here  transcribed  ver 
batim,  from  the  manuscript. 

"'Feb.  21st,  1682.  John  Buckner  called  before  the 
Ld.  Culpeper  and  his  council  for  printing  the  laws  of 
1680.  without,  his  excellency's  license,  and  he  and  the 
printer  ordered  to  enter  into  bond  in  100£.  not  to  print 
any  thing  hereafter,  until  his  majesty's  pleasure  shall  be 
known.' 

"I  am  induced  to  give  you  this  information  the  earlier, 
because,  although  it  had  been  handed  down  by  tradition, 
that  the  use  of  the  press  had,  at  some  period  of  our  colo 
nial  subjugation,  been  prohibited  in  Virginia,  the  evidence 
of  the  fact  had  eluded  all  my  researches  till  this  time."  1 

This  information  makes  it  sufficiently  evident,  that  there 
was  a  press  in  Virginia  as  early  as  1681 ;  but  the  name  of 
the  printer  does  not  appear ;  and  the  record  shows,  that 
the  press  was  speedily  prohibited.  Lord  Culpeper  was 
appointed  governor  of  Virginia  in  November,  1682; 2  the 
old  style  was  then  used,  which  placed  February  at  the  end 
of  the  year.  In  1683,  Lord  Effingham  received  a  commis- 

1  See  in  N.  E.  Hist,  and  Gen.  Register  for  Jan.  7, 1872,  an  article  on  Early 
Printing  in  Virginia,  communicated  by  Col.  A.  H.  Hoyt.     It  contains  the 
correspondence  which  grew  out  of  Mr.  Thomas's  application  for  informa 
tion  on  the  subject. — H. 

2  Jefferson's  Notes  on  Virginia,  p.  285,  Boston  edition,  1801. 


332          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

sion  as  governor  of  the  colony  ]  and  he  was  ordered  ex 
pressly,  "  to  allow  no  person  to  use  a  printing  press  on 
any  occasion  whatsoever.''' 2  And  it  does  not  appear  that 
any  printing  was  performed  in  Virginia  from  the  year  1682 
till  about  the  year  1729.  Until  1766,  there  was  but  one 
printing  house  in  the  colony,  and  this  was  thought  to  be 
too  much  under  the  control  of  the  governor. 

WILLIAMSBURG. 

By  the  foregoing  it  is  evident  there  was  a  printing  press 
in  Virginia,  in  or  near  Williamsburg,  as  early  as  1681,  and 
that  it  was  discontinued  in  1682.  The  printer's  name  is 
not  known,  or  if  known,  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain 
it.  The  first  permanent  printing  establishment  in  the 
colony  was  made  in  Williamsburg  by  WILLIAM  PARKS, 
who  at  that  time,  had  a  press  at  Annapolis,  as  already 
mentioned.  He  was,  by  the  appointment  of  each  govern 
ment,  printer  to  both  colonies,  and  received  200£.  currency, 
per  annum,  from  Virginia,  and  the  same  sum  from  Mary 
land.  Accommodations  of  this  sort  were  not  unusual  in 
provinces  south  of  Connecticut,  during  the  infancy  of 
printing. 

Parks,  it  has  been  said,  was  born  and  bred  to  printing 
in  England.  About  the  year  1733,  he  left  Annapolis  and 
made  Williamsburg  the  place  of  his  permanent  abode. 
His  appointment  as  printer  to  the  government  was  con 
tinued,  and  his  salary  enlarged.  Soon  after  he  became  a 
resident  of  that  city  he  published  a  newspaper  ;3  and,  for 
many  years,  his  press  was  the  only  one  in  Virginia. 


1  Jefferson's  Notes  on  Virginia,  p.  286,  Boston  edition,  1801. 

3  Chalmers's  Annals,  vol.  i,  p.  845. 

3  It  was  claimed  by  the  Williamsburg  Gazette  in  1870,  that  it  was  the 
oldest  paper  published  in  the  United  States,  having  been  commenced  in 
1736.  It  was  rejoined  that  the  Gazette  had  been  often  suspended,  at  one 
time  for  six  years. —  M 


VIRGINIA.  333 

Parks  was  prosecuted  by  a  member  of  the  house  of  bur 
gesses,  for  publishing  a  libel,  as  appears  by  the  following 
anecdote,  extracted  from  the  newspapers  printed  more  than 
forty  years  ago.  This  was  inserted  in  the  journals  of  that 
time,  as  a  striking  instance  of  the  influence  and  effect  which 
the  press  has  on  public  men  and  officers  of  government. 

"  Some  few  years  ago,  a  man  was  convicted  of  stealing 
sheep,  at  "Williamsburg,  in  Virginia,  for  which  crime  he 
was  prosecuted;  and,  on  answering  the  demands  of  public 
justice,  retired  into  what  was  called  the  backwoods  of  that 
dominion,  in  order  to  avoid  the  reproaches  of  his  neighbors. 
Several  years  passed  away  ;  during  which  time  he  acquired 
considerable  property,  and  that  part  of  the  country  where 
he  took  up  his  residence  being  made  a  new  county  he  was 
by  his  neighbors  chosen  to  represent  them  in  the  house  of 
burgesses,  which  then  met  at  Williamsburg.  A  mischiev 
ous  libeller,  who  remembered  the  crime  formerly  committed 
by  the  burgess,  published  an  account  of  it  in  the  Gazette, 
and  although  he  did  not  mention  the  name,  he  clearly 
pointed  out  the  transgressor,  who,  it  seems,  had  defended 
some  measures  in  the  government  that  were  considered  as 
arbitrary,  and  who  was  highly  offended  with  the  freedom 
of  the  printer.  The  house  was  also  displeased  that  one  of 
their  honorable  body  should  be  accused  in  a  public  paper 
of  being  guilty  of  such  a  base  transaction. 

"  Parks  was  prosecuted  for  printing  and  publishing  a 
libel  against  Mr.  ****,  an  honorable  and  worthy  burgess  ; 
and  many  members  of  the  honorable  house  would  no  doubt 
have  been  highly  gratified,  if,  on  that  occasion,  they  could 
have  introduced  the  Star  chamber  doctrine  of  libels,  and 
punished  Parks  for  daring  to  publish  an  article  which,  as 
they  observed,  scandalized  the  government  by  reflecting 
on  those  who  are  intrusted  with  the  administration  of  pub 
lic  affairs.  But  Parks  begged  that  the  records  of  the  court 
might  be  produced,  which  would  prove  the  truth  of  the 


334          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

libel.  This  was  allowed,  and  the  records  were  examined, 
though  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  some  men,  who  would 
impose  on  the  community  as  law,  that  a  libel  is  not  less  a 
libel  for  being  true,  and  that  its  being  true  is  an  aggrava 
tion  of  the  offence;  and,  such  men  observe,  no  one  must 
speak  ill  of  rulers,  or  those  who  are  intrusted  with  power 
or  authority,  be  they  ever  so  base  and  oppressive,  and  daily 
abuse  that  power.  Now,  mark  the  sequel :  the  prosecutor 
stood  recorded  for  sheep  stealing ;  a  circumstance  which 
he  supposed  time  had  fully  obliterated,  both  from  the  re 
cords  of  the  court,  and  from  the  minds  of  the  people;  and 
he  withdrew,  overwhelmed  with  disgrace,  from  public 
life,  and  never  more  ventured  to  obtrude  himself  into  a 
conspicuous  situation,  or  to  trouble  printers  with  prose 
cutions  for  libels.  Thus,  it  is  obvious  that  a  free  press  is, 
of  all  things,  the  best  check  and  restraint  on  wicked  men 
and  arbitrary  magistrates."  1 

Parks  was  well  acquainted  with  the  art  of  printing,  and 
his  work  was  both  neat  and  correct.  He  acquired  a  hand 
some  property,  was  a  respectable  member  of  the  commu 
nity,  extensively  known  in  Virginia  and  Maryland,  and 
much  esteemed  by  his  acquaintances  in  both  provinces. 

On  the  23d  of  March,  1750,  he  embarked  in  one  of  the 
trading  ships  for  England.  Soon  after  the  vessel  sailed, 
he  was  seized  with  pleurisy,  which  terminated  his  life  on 
the  first  of  April  of  that  year.  His  remains  were  carried 
to  England,  and  interred  at  Gosport. 

WILLIAM  HUNTER  was  born  in  Virginia,  and  probably 
served  his  apprenticeship  with  Parks,  whom  he  succeeded 
in  1751.  He  printed  for  the  house  of  burgesses,  and  pub 
lished  a  newspaper.  He  had  a  relation  who  was  paymaster 
to  the  king's  troops  in  America,  by  whose  influence  he 


Republished  not  many  years  ago. 


VIRGINIA.  335 

was  appointed  deputy  postmaster  general,  with  Franklin, 
for  the  colonies;  which  office  he  held  during  life.  He 
died  in  August,  1761.' 

JOSEPH  ROYLE  succeeded  Hunter  in  1761.  He  was  bred 
to  printing  in  England,  and  had  for  several  years  been  a 
foreman  in  Hunter's  printing  house.  He  printed  for  the 
government,  and  continued  the  Gazette. 

Hunter  at  his  death  left  an  infant  son,  and  he  bequeathed 
Royle  1000?.  currency,  on  condition  that  he  would  continue 
the  business  for  the  joint  interest  of  himself  and  this  son, 
whose  name  was  William.  Royle,  who  married  a  sister  of 
Hunter,  died  before  his  nephew  became  of  age. 

Young  Hunter  attained  to  his  majority  about  the  time 
the  revolutionary  struggle  commenced.  He  began  business, 
but  being  a  royalist,  he  soon  joined  the  British  standard, 
and  eventually  left  the  country. 

ALEXANDER  PURDIE  was  born  in  Scotland,  and  there 
brought  up  to  printing.  He  continued  the  business  at 
Williamsburg  after  the  death  of  Royle,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  widow  of  Royle,  young  Hunter  and  himself.  Purdie 
died  in  1779,  of  the  dropsy.  He  possessed  talents  and  in 
tegrity. 

JOHN  DIXON,  who  married  the  widow  of  Royle,  was  not 
a  printer.  After  his  marriage  a  partnership  was  formed 
between  him  and  Purdie.  The  firm  was  PURDIE  &  DIXON. 
They  remained  together  until  the  commencement  of  the 
war.  Purdie  was  appointed  postmaster,  and  continued  to 
print  at  Williamsburg  until  he  died.  Dixon  removed  to 
Richmond,  and  died  there  in  May,  1791.  He  was  greatly 
esteemed. 

WILLIAM  RIND  opened  a  second  printing  house  in  Wil- 


Q 


36          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


liamsburg  in  1766.  He  served  his  apprenticeship  with 
Jonas  Green  of  Annapolis,  and  it  appears  was  a  short  time 
his  partner. 

As  there  was  but  one  newspaper  published  in  Virginia 
in  1765 ;  and  but  one  press  in  the  province,  which  was 
judged  to  have  an  undue  bias  from  the  officers  of  govern 
ment,  a  number  of  gentlemen  who  were  desirous  of  having 
a  free  and  uninfluenced  Gazette,  gave  an  invitation  to 
Rind  to  settle  in  Williamsburg,  with  a  promise  of  support ; 
he  accordingly  opened  a  printing  house  in  that  city,  and 
received  satisfactory  encouragement.1  Rind  published  a 
newspaper,  and  was,  soon  after  his  establishment,  appointed 
by  the  legislature  printer  to  the  government.  This  office 
was  at  that  time  lucrative. 

October  16, 1766, Rind,  and  Purdie  &Dixon,  the  printers 
of  the  two  Virginia  Gazettes,  were  presented  for  publish 
ing  libels,  at  the  instance  of  John  Wayles,  and  the  Hon. 
William  Bird,  respecting  the  bailment  of  Col.  Chiswell ; 
but  the  grand  jury  found  no  bills.  Chiswell  was  supposed 
to  have  been  under  such  anxiety  of  mind,  on  this  account, 
as  occasioned  his  death.2 

Rind  died  August  19,  1773. 

CLEMINTINA  RIXD  was  born  in  Maryland.  She  was  the 
widow  of  William  Rind,  and  succeeded  to  his  business  in 
1773,  and  printed  the  Gazette,  etc.  She  died  within  two 
years  after  the  death  of  her  husband. 


1  This  fact  is  corroborated  by  the  following  extract  of  a  letter  to  the 
author  from  Thomas  Jefferson,  late  president  of  the  United  States,  dated 
July,  1809. 

"  I  do  not  know  that  the  publication  of  newspapers  wras  ever  prohibited 
in  Virginia.  Until  the  beginning  of  our  revolutionary  disputes,  we  had 
but  one  press,  and  that  having  the  whole  business  of  the  government,  and 
no  competitor  for  public  favor,  nothing  disagreeable  to  the  governor 
could  be  got  into  it.  We  procured  Rind  to  come  from  Maryland  to  pub 
lish  a  free  paper." 

"  Rind's  Virginia  Gazette,  Oct.  17,  17G6. 


VIRGINIA.  337 

JOHN  PINKNEY  was  the  successor  of  Clementina  Rind; 
and,  probably,  was  previously  her  partner.  He  continued 
the  Gazette  in  1775,  and  did  other  printing  after  the  war 
began,  but  died  at  Williamsburg,  soon  after  that  event. 

JOHN  CLARKSON  &  AUGUSTINE  DAVIS  were  printers  and 
copartners,  in  William sburg,  in  1778.  They  commenced 
the  publication  of  a  newspaper  in  April  of  that  year.  They 
were  printers  to  the  state  in  1779,  and,  probably,  before 
that  time. 

Clarkson  was  nephew  to  Alexander  Purdie.  Davis  was 
born  in  Yorktown,  and  was  taught  printing  by  Purdie. 
He  published  a  newspaper  several  years  in  Williamsburg ; 
then  removed  to  Richmond ;  and  was  a  respectable  printer 
in  that  place. 


35 


338  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA/ 


NORTH  CAROLINA. 

Printing  was  introduced  into  this  colony  about  1755 ; 
before  that  time,  the  necessary  printing  for  the  public  was 
principally  done  at  WilHamsburg,  Virginia,  and  at  Charles 
ton,  South  Carolina.  There  were  only  two  presses  in  North 
Carolina  before  1775. 

NEWBERN. 

The  first  press  established  in  the  colony  was  set  up  at 
Newborn,  about  twenty  years  before  the  revolution  com 
menced.  Until  that  time,  there  was  only  one  press  in  both 
the  Carolinas. 

JAMES  DAVIS  was  the  first  printer  in  this  colony.  He 
began  his  establishment  in  1754,  or  1755.  He  was,  I  be 
lieve,  from  Virginia. 

In  December  of  the  year  last  mentioned,  he  published  a 
newspaper.  He  received  some  encouragement  from  go 
vernment,  and  was  appointed  post  master  by  Franklin  and 
Hunter. 

Davis  printed  for  the  colony,  and,  in  1773,  completed  an 
edition  of  the  Laws  of  North  Carolina.  The  volume  is  in 
folio,  and  contains  five  hundred  and  eighty  pages. 

IBs  printing  appears  to  have  been  well  executed ;  but 
there  was  not  much  employment  for  his  press  before  the 
declaration  of  Independence. 

He  was  a  respectable  man,  and  held  a  commission  as  a 
magistrate,  which  I  believe  he  received  during  the  ad 
ministration  of  Governor  Tryon. 


NORTH  CAROLINA.  339 

WILMINGTON. 

The  second  press  established  in  this  colony,  was  set  up 
at  Wilmington,  near  the  close  of  the  year  1763,  or  the  be 
ginning  of  1764,  by 

ANDREW  STEUAET,  who  was  from  Ireland,  as  was  men 
tioned  when  he  was  taken  notice  of  as  a  printer  in  Phila 
delphia,  where  he  had  resided  and  printed  several  years. 
He  commenced  the  publication  of  a  newspaper,  but  it  was 
soon  discontinued.  Although  he  had  but  few  printing  ma 
terials,  his  printing  shows  tokens  of  a  good  workman. 

On  settling  at  Wilmington  he  was  encouraged  with  a 
share  of  the  printing  for  government,  and  was  patronized 
by  gentlemen  of  the  first  respectability  in  the  colony ;  but 
he  soon  lost  their  confidence,  and  fell  into  discredit.  It 
was  said  that  he  intercepted  and  opened  some  private 
letters  to  a  gentleman  of  distinction  in  the  colony,  and 
made  their  contents  known.  Be  this  as  it  may,  he  no 
longer  received  encouragement,  and  the  work  of  the  go 
vernment  was  taken  from  him,  so  that  he  was  obliged  to 
discontinue  his  newspaper  for  the  want  of  customers. 

The  end  of  Steuart  was  tragical.  In  1769,  he  was  drowned 
in  the  river  near  his  own  residence,  where  he  went  to  bathe. 

[See  Philadelphia.] 

ADAM  BOYD  was  born  in  Great  Britain.  He  was  not 
brought  up  to  printing.  In  1769  he  purchased  the  press 
and  types  which  had  been  used  by  Steuart.  Boyd  was  the 
second  person  who  printed  in  Wilmington ;  he  published  a 
newspaper.  It  has  been  said  that  he  possessed  some 
classical  knowledge,  which  is  not  improbable ;  but  his 
printing  was,  certainly,  that  of  an  unskilful  workman.  In 
1776,  he  exchanged  the  press  for  the  pulpit. 


340          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


SOUTH  CAROLINA. 

Printing  was  introduced  into  South  Carolina  as  early  as 
1730.  The  government  is  said  to  have  offered  a  liberal 
encouragement  to  any  printer  who  would  settle  in  Charles 
ton;1  and  that,  in  consequence  of  this  offer,  three  printers 
arrived  there  in  1730,  and  1731,  one  of  whom  was  appointed 
printer  to  the  province;  another  in  the  year  following, 
published  a  newspaper. 

CHARLESTON. 

The  first  press  introduced  into  the  Carolinas  was  estab 
lished  in  this  city. 

ELEAZAR  PHILLIPS  was  born  in  Boston,  and  served  his 
apprenticeship  with  Thomas  Fleet  of  that  town.  He  was 
the  son  of  Eleazar  Phillips,  bookseller  and  binder,  who  lived 
at  Charlestown,  near  Boston. 

Phillips  opened  a  printing  house  in  1730,  and  executed 
the  printing  for  the  colony.  He  was  but  a  short  time  in 
business,  when  he  was  seized  by  the  sickness  which  pre 
vailed  in  that  city  in  1731,  and  became  one  of  its  numerous 
victims.  The  following  words  are  a  part  of  the  inscription 


1 1  am  informed  that  a  record  of  this  offer  cannot  now  be  found,  but  the 
fact  can,  I  believe,  be  fully  authenticated.  It  was  usual  for  the  colonial 
governments  in  the  new  settlements  to  make  such  offers.  The  Barbadocs 
Mercury  of  October  16th,  1732,  and  the  'Weekly  Rehearsal  printed  at 
Boston,  of  December  25, 1732,  contain  the  following  paragraph.  "  We 
hear  from  South  Carolina,  that  there  has  been  such  a  sickness,  that  near 
twenty  on  a  day  have  been  buried  there ;  that  of  the  three  Printers  that 
arrived  there,  for  the  sake  of  the  100(M.  Carolina  Currency  offered  by 
the  government,  there  is  but  one  left;  and  he  that  received  \\\c,  premium 
is  one  that  is  lately  dead." 

A  similar  paragraph  appeared  in  other  newspapers,  printed  on  the 
(•on  1  incut  at  that  time. 


SOUTH  CAROLINA.  341 

engraven  on  his  tomb  stone  — "  He  was  first  printer  to  his 
majesty." 

THOMAS  WHITMARSH  arrived  with  a  press  soon  after 
Phillips,  and  began  the  publication  of  a  newspaper,  the 
first  printed  in  either  of  the  Carolinas.  After  Phillips  died, 
Whitmarsh  was  appointed  printer  to  the  government,  but 
was  very  soon  arrested  by  death.  He  died  in  1733.  [See 
Hist.  Newspapers.'] 

Louis  TIMOTHEE  was  the  son  of  a  French  protestant  re 
fugee,  who  left  France  in  consequence  of  the  revocation  of 
the  edict  of  Nantz,  and  went  to  Holland.  Timothee  came 
from  Holland,  where  he  had  acquired  the  art  of  printing, 
to  Philadelphia.  He  was  employed  some  time  in  the  print 
ing  house  of  Franklin;  and  was  the  first  who  was  ap 
pointed  librarian  of  the  Philadelphia  library  company.1 
That  office  he  resigned  in  December  1733,  and  removed  to 
Charleston,  where  he  arrived  soon  after  the  death  of  Whit- 
marsh,  succeeded  to  his  business,  and  accommodated  his 
name  to  the  English  language  by  changing  it  to  Lewis 
Timothy.  In  February,  1734,  he  published  a  newspaper, 
which,  although  not  the  earliest  printed  in  the  colony,  was 
the  first  which  gained  permanency. 

Timothy  did  the  work  for  government,  which  with  his 
newspaper  formed  his  principal  employment.  His  course 
was  short,  as  he  died  in  December,  1738. 

ELIZABETH  TIMOTHY,  the  widow  of  Lewis  Timothy,  with 
the  aid  of  her  son,  conducted  the  press  for  a  year  or  two, 
and  then  the  son,  being  of  age,  carried  on  the  concern  in 
his  own  name.  She  died  in  April  1757. 


1  The  Philadelphia  library  company  was  established  in  1781  ;  there 
was  no  librarian  till  November  1732,  when  Timothee  was  chosen. 


342  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

PETER  TIMOTHY,  the  son  of  Lewis,  went  into  business  on 
his  own  account  in  1740 ;  and,  in  January  1741,  he  was  ar 
rested  for  publishing  a  letter  written  by  Hugh  Bryan,  in 
which  it  was  asserted,  that  "  the  clergy  of  South  Carolina 
broke  their  canons  daily."  The  celebrated  George  White- 
field  and  Hugh  Bryan  were  arrested  at  the  same  time,  by  a 
wrarrant  from  Chief  Justice  Whitaker:  Timothy  for  pub 
lishing,  Bryan  for  writing,  and  Whitefield  for  correcting 
Bryan's  letter  for  the  press.  They  were  all  admitted  to 
bail.  Whitefield  was  then  bound  to  England  j1  he  con 
fessed  the  charge,  and  entered  into  a  recognizance  to  ap 
pear  by  his  attorney,  at  the  next  general  session. 

Timothy  succeeded  his  father  as  printer  to  the  colony, 
and  was,  after  the  revolution,  printer  to  the  state.  He 
remained  in  Charleston  during  the  time  that  city  was  be 
sieged  ;  and  in  1780,  when  it  was  surrendered,  he  was 
taken  prisoner  by  the  British.  In  August,  1780,  he  was 
sent  as  a  prisoner  to  St.  Augustine.  In  1781,  he  was  ex 
changed  and  delivered  at  Philadelphia,  where  he  remained 
until  the  autumn  of  the  next  year,  and  then  embarked 
with  two  daughters  and  a  grandchild  for  St.  Domingo. 
His  ultimate  object  was  to  reach  Antigua,  where  his 


1  This  celebrated  itinerant  preacher,  when  he  visited  America,  like  a 
comet  drew  the  attention  of  all  classes  of  people.  The  blaze  of  his  minis 
tration  was  extended  through  the  continent,  and  he  became  the  common 
topic  of  conversation  from  Georgia  to  New  Hampshire.  All  the  news 
papers  were  filled  with  paragraphs  of  information  respecting  him,  or  with 
pieces  of  animated  disputation  pro  or  con ;  and  the  press  groaned  witli 
pamphlets  written  in  favor  of,  or  against,  his  person  and  ministry.  In 
short,  his  early  visits  to  America  excited  a  great  and  general  agitation 
throughout  the  country,  which  did  not  wholly  subside  when  he  returned 
to  Europe.  Each  succeeding  visit  occasioned  a  renewal  of  zeal  and  ardor 
in  his  advocates  and  opponents ;  and,  it  has  been  said,  that  from  his 
example  American  preachers  became  more  animated  in  their  manner. 
Whitefield  died  very  suddenly  in  Newburyport,  Mass.,  Sept.  30,  1770,  of 
an  asthmatic  fit.  His  remains  were  deposited  under  the  pulpit  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  in  that  town.  He  was  on  his  seventh  visit  to  that 
town. 


SOUTH  CAROLINA.  343 

widowed  daughter,  Mrs.  Marchant,  had  some  property ; 
but,  soon  after  he  left  the  capes  of  Delaware,  the  vessel 
in  which  he  was  a  passenger  foundered  in  a  violent  gale  of 
wind,  and  every  soul  on  board  perished. 

Timothy  was  a  decided  and  active  friend  of  his  country. 
He  was  a  very  intelligent  and  good  printer  and  editor,  and 
was  for  several  years  clerk  of  the  general  assembly.  As  a 
citizen  he  was  much  respected. 

ANNE  TIMOTHY,  the  widow  of  the  before  mentioned 
Peter  Timothy,  after  the  war  ceased,  revived  the  Gazette, 
which  had  been  established  by  the  elder  Timothy,  but  was 
discontinued  while  the  British  troops  were  in  possession 
of  Charleston.  She  was  appointed  printer  to  the  state, 
and  held  the  appointment  until  September,  1792,  when 
she  died.  Her  printing  house  was  at  the  corner  of  Broad 
and  King  streets. 

ROBERT  WELLS  was  born  in  Scotland,  and  there  educated 
as  a  bookseller.  He  opened  a  bookstore  and  printing 
house  at  Charleston  in  1758,  and  published  a  newspaper. 
His  Gazette  was  the  second  established  in  the  colony. 
Wells  had  a  partner  in  the  printing  establishment,  by 
the  name  of  George  Bruce,  who  managed  the  concerns  of 
the  printing  house.  His  name  appeared  after  Wells's  in 
the  imprint  of  their  works.  Wells  was  the  owner  of  the 
press  and  types,  and  the  business  was  under  his  sole  con 
trol.  Bruce  remained  with  Wells  several  years,  and  when 
they  separated  Wells  conducted  his  printing  house  by  the 
aid  of  journeymen. 

Wells  kept  a  large'  book  and  stationery  store,  well  sup 
plied.  For  many  years  he  was  the  principal  bookseller  for 
both  the  Carolinas.  His  business  was  extensive,  and  he 
acquired  property.  He  was  marshal  of  the  court  of  admi 
ralty,  and  one  of  the  principal  auctioneers  in  the  city. 


344          HISTORY  or  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

This  last  business  was  very  lucrative,  especially  the  sale  of 
cargoes  of  slaves.  He  owned  a  number  of  negroes ;  two 
or  three  of  whom  were  taught  to  work  at  press.  It  was  a 
common  custom  in  the  Carolinas,  and  in  the  West  Indies, 
to  have  blacks  for  pressmen.  Wells's  slaves  were  fre 
quently  intoxicated,  and  unfit  for  work  when  they  were 
wanted  at  press ;  at  such  times,  he  adopted  a  singular 
method  to  render  them  sober.  The  water  in  the  city  is  unfit 
to  drink ;  and,  as  on  many  it  operates  medicinally,  he  would 
take  his  drunken  negroes  to  the  pump,  and  pour  water 
down  their  throats  until  they  began  to  sicken ;  then  shut 
them  up  for  an  hour  or  two ;  and,  the  operation  being 
there  completed,  they  were  taken  out  and  put  to  press. 

His  printing  house  and  bookstore  were  on  the  bay,  near 
Tradd  street.  He  was  a  staunch  royalist,  but  a  good 
editor,  active  in  business,  and  just  and  punctual  in  his  deal 
ings.  About  the  time  when  the  revolutionary  war  com 
menced,  he  resigned  his  establishment  to  his  son,  went  to 
Europe,  and  never  returned. 

GEORGE  BRUCE  was  born  in  Scotland,  learned  printing 
there,  whence  he  came  to  Robert  Wells  in  Charleston. 
He  managed,  several  years,  the  concerns  of  Wells's  print 
ing  house,  and  his  name,  as  has  been  mentioned,  appeared 
after  Wells's  in  their  imprints.  When  they  parted,  he 
opened  a  printing  house  on  his  own  account.  He  lived 
in  Church  street,  where  he  commenced  a  trade  in  English 
goods,  and  paid  but  little  attention  to  typographical  con 
cerns.  His  printing  house  was  furnished  with  new  types ; 
but  he  had  only  those  founts  which  were  most  in  use.  He 
remained  in  the  city,  in  1775,  after  the  war  began. 

CHARLES  CROUCH  was  born  in  Charleston ;  he  was  brother- 
in-law  to  Peter  Timothy,  with  whom  he  served  an  appren 
ticeship.  In  1765,  he  opened  the  fourth  printing  house  in 


SOUTH  CAROLINA.  345 

the  colony.  He  was  encouraged  to  set  up  a  press,  and  to 
print  a  newspaper  in  opposition  to  the  stamp  act,  at  the 
time  the  act  was  to  have  taken  effect.  He  was  a  sound  whi^. 

o 

Crouch  printed  but  little  excepting  his  paper,  which  was 
lucrative.  He  was  in  business  when  the  war  commenced  ; 
soon  after  which,  he  took  passage  in  a  vessel  bound  to  New 
York,  and  was  drowned.  He  lived  in  Eliott  street,  and 
his  printing  house  was  in  G-adsden's  alley. 

THOMAS  POWELL  was  an  Englishman,  and  served  his 
apprenticeship  in  London.  He  came  to  Charleston  in 
1769,  and  was  employed  by  Timothy  as  foreman  in  his 
printing  house.  Powell  was  a  correct  printer,  his  education 
had  been  good,  and  in  his  manners  he  was  a  gentleman. 
In  1772,  Timothy  admitted  Powell  as  a  partner.  The  firm 
was,  THOMAS  POWELL  &  COMPANY.  Their  printing  house 
was  near  the  Exchange.  Timothy,  as  a  silent  partner, 
edited  the  Gazette,  and  directed  the  general  concerns  of  the 
firm. 

On  the  31st  of  August,  1773,  in  consequence  of  a  motion 
made  by  the  chief  justice  in  the  council,  or  upper  house  of 
assembly,  it  was  ordered,  that  Powell  should  immediately 
attend  that  house.-  Powell  accordingly  attended,  and  "  was 
examined  if  he  was  the  printer  and  publisher  of  the  South 
Carolina  Gazette,"  then  shown  to  him.  He  answered  that 
he  was.  He  was  then  asked,  "  by  what  authority  he  pre 
sumed  to  print  as  an  article  of  news  in  his  paper,  a  matter 
purporting  to  be  a  part  of  the  proceedings  of  this  house, 
on  the  26th  of  August  instant  ?"  To  which  he  replied, 
"  That  the  copy  of  the  matter  there  printed  was  delivered 
to  him  by  the  Hon.  William  Henry  Drayton,  one  of  the 
members  of  that  house,  who  desired  him  to  print  the  same." 
The  house  "  Resolved"  That  as  he  acknowledged  himself 
to  be  the  printer  of  a  part  of  their  proceedings,  without 
36 


346  HISTORY  or  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

their  order  or  leave,  he  was  "  thereby  guilty  of  a  high 
breach  of  the  privileges,  and  a  contempt  of  the  house." 

Powell  was  told  to  ask  pardon ;  he  declined.  The  house 
then  ordered  him  to  be  taken  into  the  custody  of  the  ser 
geant  at  arms,  and  brought  to  the  bar.  This  was  done ; 
and,  when  at  the  bar,  he  was  again  informed  of  the  charge 
against  him ;  and  that  the  house  desired  to  hear  what  he 
could  say  in  exculpation  of  said  charge.  Powell  declared 
that  "  he  did  not  know  that  he  had  committed  any  offence." 
It  was  again  demanded  of  him,  if  he  would  ask  pardon  ; 
he  answered,  he  would  not. 

The  lion.  Mr.  Drayton,  in  his  place,  acknowledged  that 
he  was  the  person  who  sent  the  copy  of  that  part  of  the 
journals  printed  by  Powell,  to  the  press  ;  but,  without  in 
tention  to  offend  the  house,  etc.  The  house  then 

"  Eesolved,  That  Thomas  Powell,  who  hath  this  day  been 
adjudged,  by  this  house,  to  have  been  guilty  of  a  high 
breach  of  privilege,  and  a  contempt  of  this  house,  be  for 
his  said  offence  committed  to  the  common  gaol  of  Charles 
ton  ;  and  that  his  honor,  the  president  of  this  house,  do 
issue  his  warrant  accordingly."  Before  putting  the  ques 
tion,  Mr.  Drayton  claimed  leave  to  enter  his  protest  and 
dissent ;  which  he  did  accordingly.  The  president,  the 
Hon.  Egerton  Leigh,  agreeably  to  the  resolution  of  the 
house,  issued  his  warrant.  Powell  was  imprisoned,  and 
remained  in  confinement  until  the  morning  of  the  second 
of  September  following. 

On  the  second  of  September,  the  Hon.  Rawlins  Lowndes, 
speaker  of  the  lower  house,  or  "  commons  house  of  assem 
bly,"  and  George  Gabriel  Powell,  one  of  its  members,  jus 
tices  of  the  peace,  etc.,  had  Powell  brought  before  them  by  a 
writ  of  habeas  corpus,  and  discharged  him. 

On  the  same  day,  Powell  published  a  Gazette  extra 
ordinary,  in  which  Drayton's  dissent  and  protest  were  in 
serted.  The  council  resolved,  that  the  protest,  as  pub- 


SOUTH  CAROLINA.  347 

lished  that  day,  was  materially  different  from  that  on  their 
journals,  and  was  therefore  "  false,  scandalous  and  mali 
cious,  tending  to  reflect  upon  the  honor  and  justice  of  the 
house  ;  "  and,  "  that  William  Henry  Drayton  was  instru 
mental  to  the  publication."  Before  putting  the  question, 
Mr.  Drayton  claimed  leave  to  enter  his  dissent  and  pro 
test  ;  which  he  accordingly  did.  In  this  protest  Mr.  Dray 
ton  asserted,  that  the  protest  as  published,  excepting  some 
misspelling  in  copying  by  the  clerk,  and  the  misprinting 
the  word  fulfilled  for  published,  was  expressly  the  same 
as  the  original. 

The  next  day  the  council,  styling  themselves,  "the  upper 
house  of  assembly,"  resolved,  "  That  Mr.  Drayton  had 
been  guilty  of  a  breach  of  privilege  and  contempt  of  that 
house,  in  being  instrumental  to  the  publication  of  the  pro 
test,"  etc.  Before  putting  the  question,  Mr.  Drayton  entered 
his  dissent  and  protest.  The  resolve  was  passed,  and  Mr. 
Drayton  directed  to  withdraw.  He  withdrew  accordingly. 
The  council  then  passed  the  following  resolve. 

"  That  when  T.  Powell  was  before  this  house,  his  whole 
deportment  and  behavior  manifested  the  most  insolent 
disrespect ;  and,  so  far  was  he  from  discovering  any  con 
trition  for  his  offence,  that  he  flatly  declared  that  he  did 
not  know  that  he  had  committed  any,  and  therefore  thought 
it  hard  to  ask  pardon ;  and,  being  informed  by  the  presi 
dent,  that  the  house  was  of  a  different  opinion,  he  still  ob 
stinately  persisted  that  he  could  not  ask  pardon." 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  Mr.  Drayton,  in  con 
sideration  that  the  house  had  not  proceeded  with  him  "to 
the  last  extremity,"  informed  that  body,  "  that  he  neither 
sent  the  protest  to  the  press,  nor  ordered  any  person  to 
carry  it,  or  even  desired  the  printer,  or  any  person  to  pub 
lish  it;  that  Mr.  Edward  Rutledge  sent  the  copy  to  the 
printer."  On  this  information,  the  house  resolved,  that 


348          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Mr.  Drayton  u  had  purged  himself  of  the  contempt  and 
breach  of  privilege  with  which  he  stood  charged." 

On  the  fourth  of  September,  the  sheriff  of  Charleston 
district,  having  attended  the  council  agreeably  to  order, 
was  directed  by  the  president  to  make  out  a  copy  of  the 
writ  of  habeas  corpus,  issued  by  the  Justices  Lowndes  and 
G.  G.  Powell,  Esquires,  by  virtue  of  which  he  had  two  days 
before  removed  T.  Powell  from  prison  and  carried  him 
before  said  justices,  with  his  return  thereon.  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  "  take  under  their  consideration  the 
nature  of  the  discharge  of  T.  Powell,  printer,  to  report 
such  resolutions  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  house  to  enter 
into  ;  and  to  prepare  an  humble  address  on  the  subject  to 
his  majesty,  and  another  to  his  honor  the  lieutenant  gov 
ernor."  The  chief  justice,  and  two  other  members  were 
of  this  committee,  who  reported  the  following  resolutions, 
which  were  agreed  to  by  the  house. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  power  of  commitment  is  so  neces 
sarily  incident  to  each  house  of  assembly,  that  without  it 
neither  their  authority  nor  dignity  can,  in  any  degree  what 
soever,  be  maintained  or  supported. 

"  Resolved,  That  Rawlins  Lowndes,  Esquire,  speaker  of 
the  commons  house  of  assembly,  and  George  Gabriel 
Powell,  Esq.,  member  of  said  house,  being  two  justices  of 
the  peace,  unus  quorum,  lately  assistant  judges  and  justices 
of  his  majesty's  court  of  common  pleas,  have,  by  virtue  of 
habeas  corpus  by  them  issued,  caused  the  body  of  T.  Powell 
to  be  brought  before  them,  on  the  second  of  this  instant 
September,  and  the  said  justices,  disregarding  the  com 
mitment  of  this  house,  did  presumptuously  discharge  said 
T.  Powell  out  of  the  custody  of  the  sheriff  under  the  com 
mitment  of  this  house. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  said  justices  have  been  guilty  of 
the  most  atrocious  contempt  of  this  house,  by  their  public 


SOUTH  CAROLINA.  349 

avowal  and  declaration,  made  by  them  in  pronouncing 
judgment,  that  this  house  is  no  upper  house  of  assembly ; 
on  which  principle  alone  they  did  discharge  the  said  T. 
Powell ;  they  have,  as  far  as  in  them  lay,  absolutely  and 
actually  abolished  one  of  the  branches  of  the  legislature; 
and,  in  so  doing,  have  subverted  the  constitution  of  this 
government,  and  have  expressly  sounded  the  most  danger 
ous  alarm  to  the  good  subjects  of  this  province. 

"  Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  sent  to 
the  commons  house  of  assembly,  together  with  a  message, 
complaining  of  such  conduct  and  breach  of  our  privilege, 
by  their  members ;  and,  setting  forth,  that,  as  this  house 
has  always  been  careful  to  support  its  own  just  rights  and 
privileges,  so  it  has  always  been  cautious  not  to  infringe 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  commons  house;  and,  that 
this  house,  relying  on  the  justice  of  the  commons  house, 
does  expect  they  will  direct  Rawlins  Lowndes  and  George 
Gabriel  Powell,  Esqrs.,  two  of  their  members,  to  waive  their 
privilege,  in  order  that  this  house  may  proceed  to  the  cog 
nizance  of  their  said  breach  of  privilege  and  contempt." 

The  committee  reported,  also,  according  to  order,  a 
message  to  the  commons  house  of  assembly  ;  an  address  to 
the  king,  and  another  to  the  lieutenant  governor ; x  with 
all  which  the  council  agreed,  and  presented  and  forwarded 
them  according  to  their  respective  destinations. 

The  commons  house  of  assembly  did  not  comply  with 
the  requisition  of  the  upper  house;  on  the  contrary,  they 
justified  the  conduct  of  their  speaker  and  Judge  Powell, 
and  directed  the  agent  of  the  province  in  London,  "  to 


1  The  upper  house  of  assembly,  in  their  address  to  the  lieutenant  governor, 
observe,  that  Powell  was  discharged  by  the  justices,  "  by  virtue  of  a 
power  given  by  a  provincial  act,  passed  December  12, 1712,  to  two  justices, 
one  being  of  the  quorum,  to  put  in  execution  the  habeas  corpus  act,  to  such 
intents  and  purposes,  as  the  said  act  can  be  put  in  execution  in  the  kingdom 
of  England  ;  upon  the  sole  and  avowed  principle  that  we  are  not  an  upper 
house  of  legislature." 


350          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

make  the  most  humble  representations  to  his  majesty  of 
the  conduct  of  his  council  [upper  house]  and  to  implore 
their  removal ;  or,  such  marks  of  his  royal  displeasure  to 
them,  as  may  prevent,  for  the  future,  such  an  encroach 
ment  on  the  liberties  of  his  people."  The  commons  house, 
at  the  same  time,  addressed  the  lieutenant  governor,  in 
forming  him  of  the  conduct  of  the  council,  and  that  they 
had  directed  the  agent  of  the  province  to  represent  it  to 
the  king,  etc.,  and  concluded  with  earnestly  requesting  his 
honor,  that,  as  a  considerable  time  must  elapse,  before  their 
complaint  to  the  king  could  be  heard,  etc.,  he  would  "  be 
pleased  to  suspend  such  members  of  the  council  as  ordered 
the  said  commitment,  until  his  majesty's  royal  pleasure 
should  be  known  ;  and  to  appoint  in  their  stead  men  who 
really  have  at  heart  the  service  of  his  majesty,  and  the 
interest  of  the  province."  The  governor,  as  was  expected, 
declined  complying  with  the  request  of  the  commons,  and 
in  this  situation  the  affair  rested,  until  the  pleasure  of  his 
majesty  should  be  known. 

The  business  remained  before  the  king  and  council,  I 
presume  in  an  unsettled  state,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
war,  which  event,  probably,  stayed  all  proceedings  upon  it, 
and  it  was  never  more  agitated.  As  to  what  became  of 
Powell,  or  respecting  the  part  he  took  in  the  war,  or 
whether  he  returned  to  England,  I  have  not  been  able  to 
obtain  any  information.  The  Gazette  was  discontinued 
some  time  after  the  war  commenced,  but  was  revived  by 
Timothy. 

MARY  CROUCH  was  born  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island. 
She  was  the  wife  of  Charles  Crouch,  and  continued  the 
business  of  printing  in  Charleston  some  time  after  his 
death.  In  1780,  she  removed  with  her  press  and  types  to 
Salem,  Massachusetts.  [See  Salem.'] 


SOUTH  CAROLINA.  351 

JOHN  WELLS,  the  eldest  son  of  Robert  Wells,  was  born 
in  Charleston,  and  served  an  apprenticeship  at  Donaldson's 
printing  house  in  Edinburgh.  He  succeeded  his  father  as 
a  printer  and  bookseller  at  Charleston,  in  1775.  Although 
the  father  was  a  zealous  royalist,  the  son  took  a  decided 
part  in  favor  of  the  country.  He  printed  and  fought  in 
its  defence,  until  the  city  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  British 
in  1780. 

Wells  belonged  to  a  military  company  in  Charleston 
which  marched  to  assist  in  the  siege  of  Savannah,  by  the 
allied  American  and  French  armies,  in  1779,  and  during 
this  unsuccessful  campaign,  he  acquired  the  reputation  of 
a  brave  and  vigilant  soldier.  When  Charleston  fell  into 
the  possession  of  the  British,  he,  with  many  others,  to  save 
his  property,  signed  an  address  to  the  British  commander, 
and  he  printed  a  royal  Gazette,  which  he  continued  until 
December  1782.  For  these  offences  he  was  proscribed  by 
the  state  government,  at  the  close  of  the  war.  Appre 
hending  that  he  could  not  safely  remain  in  Charleston 
when  the  British  surrendered  the  place  to  the  American 
government,  he  left  the  city,  and  went  with  his  press  to 
Nassau,  New  Providence,  published  the  Bahama  Gazette, 
and  never  more  returned  to  the  United  States.  [See  New 
Providence.] 

Except  in  Charleston,  there  was  no  printer  in  South 
Carolina  before  the  revolution. 


352          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


GEORGIA. 

The  settlement  of  this  province,  named  after  George  II, 
king  of  Great  Britain,  did  not  begin  until  the  year  1732. 
The  public  printing,  till  1762,  was  done  in  Charleston, 
South  Carolina.  There  was  only  one  press  established  in 
Georgia  before  the  revolution. 

SAVANNAH. 

Printing  was  introduced  into  this  colony  at  this  place, 
and  a  printing  house  was  opened  early  in  1762,  by  JAMES 
JOHNSTON,  who  was  born  in  Scotland,  and  there  served  a 
regular  apprenticeship.  After  his  establishment  in  Savan 
nah,  he  printed  for  the  government. 

The  government  of  the  colony  gave  Johnston  a  hand 
some  pecuniary  consideration  for  settling  in  that  place. 
He  printed  an  edition  of  the  laws ;  and,  in  1763,  began 
the  publication  of  a  newspaper.  This  newspaper,  and 
printing  for  the  colony,  was  the  chief  employment  of  his 
press.  He  did  some  business  as  a  bookseller;  was  a  very 
honest,  reputable  man,  acquainted  with  the  art  he  pro 
fessed  to  practice ;  and  in  his  general  conduct  was  a  good 
and  useful  member  of  society.  He  died  in  October,  1808, 
aged  seventy  years,  leaving  a  widow  and  six  children. 


NEW  STATES, 

Founded,  and  admitted  into  the  Union,  since  the  Revolution  ;  and 
Territories  of  the  United  States. 

As  these  states  and  territories  were  not  settled,  or  were 
not  located  as  distinct  governments,  before  1775,  I  shall 
only  take  notice  of  the  period  when  the  art  was  introduced 
into  them. 


VERMONT.  353 


VERMONT. 

This  district  became  a  state  after  the  revolution ;  no 
press  had  previously  been  established  in  it.1 

JUDAH  PADDOCK  SPOONER  and  TIMOTHY  GREEN,  who 
have  been  mentioned  as  printers  at  Norwich,  in  Connecti 
cut,  removed  from  that  place  to  Hanover  in  New  Hampshire, 
then  claimed,  with  other  towns  on  the  east  side  of  Con 
necticut  river,  by  the  people  inhabiting  Vermont,  where, 
for  a  short  time,  they  published  a  newspaper.  They  then 
carried  their  press  to  Westminister,  and  were  the  first  who 
introduced  printing  into  Vermont.  In  Westminster  they 
published  The  Vermont  Gazette ;  or,  Green  Mountain  Post 
Boy.  This  paper  made  its  first  appearance  in  February, 
1781. 

Spooner  had  the  whole  management  of  their  printing 
house,  as  Green  still  prosecuted  the  printing  business  in 
ISTew  London.  The  firm  continued  only  a  short  time. 
Green  relinquished  his  interest  in  it ;  and  the  press  and 
types  which  were  owned  by  him  were  sold,  after  the  lapse 
of  four  or  five  years.  George  Hough  was  the  purchaser. 
He  removed  them  to  Windsor  in  1783,  and  there  formed 
a  partnership  with  Aldeu  Spooner.  Alden  was  the  brother 
of  Judah. 


1  The  Vermonters  had  their  printing  done  at  Hartford,  and  before  and 
during  the  revolution,  were  dependent  upon  the  columns  of  the  Connecti 
cut  Courant  to  carry  on  their  warfare  with  the  citizens  and  authorities  of 
New  York,  respecting  their  title  to  the  present  territory  of  Vermont. —  M. 


37 


354          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


KENTUCKY. 

JOHN  BRADFORD  began  printing  at  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
in  1786.  After  which  presses  were  set  up  at  Frankfort, 
and  in  other  towns. 


TENNESSEE. 

R.  ROULSTONE,  from   Massachusetts,  set  up  a  press  at 
Knoxville,  1793. 


OHIO. 

S.  FREEMAN  &  SON  introduced  printing  into  Cincinnati 
in  1795. 


MISSISSIPPI  TERRITORY. 

A  press  was  established  at  Natchez  in  1815. 


MICHIGAN  TERRITORY. 

Printing  is  said  to  have  been  introduced  into  Detroit  in 
1815. 


LOUISIANA.  355 


LOUISIANA. 

Several  printing  houses  were  opened  at  New  Orleans,  as 
soon  as  that  country  came  under  the  government  of  the 
United  States. 

Most  of  these  new  states  and  settlements,  at  the  time  of 
the  war  were  but  little  known.  The  white  inhabitants 
were  but  few,  and  they  were  scattered  in  solitary  settle 
ments,  or  in  a  few  straggling  towrns  and  villages  through 
a  vast  tract  of  country,  where  the  art  of  printing  had  not 
extended.1 


1  It  may  be  interesting  to  notice  the  gradual  extension  of  printing  be 
yond  the  region  embraced  above.  A  paper  was  published  in  Maine  at 
Falmouth  in  1785 ;  in  Missouri  in  1806 ;  Mississippi,  1808  ;  Indiana,  1808  ; 
Michigan,  1809 ;  Illinois,  1814 ;  Wisconsin,  1831 ;  Texas,  1834 ;  Iowa,  1836 ; 
Oregon,  1847 ;  California,  1848 ;  Minnesota,  1849.  These  will  be  found 
more  particularly  noticed  under  the  account  of  Newspapers,  in  the  next 
volume. —  M. 


BRITISH  COLONIES. 


NOVA  SCOTIA. 

PRINTING  was  introduced  into  Nova  Scotia  in  1751 ;  but, 
at  that  time,  there  was  but  little  encouragement  for  the 
press. 

HALIFAX. 

The  first  press  was  established  at  Halifax,  and  there  was 
not  a  second  in  the  province  until  1766. 

BARTHOLOMEW  GREEN  JUNIOR  has  already  been  men 
tioned.  He  was  the  grandson  of  Samuel  Green,  of  Cam 
bridge,  and  was  of  the  firm  of  Green,  Bushell  &  Allen,  of 
Boston.  He  removed  to  Halifax  with  a  press  and  types  in 
August,  1751.  He  died  in  about  six  weeks  after  his  arrival, 
aged  fifty-two  years. 

JOHN  BUSHELL,  who  had  been  the  partner  of  Green  in 
Boston,  immediately  succeeded  him  in  Halifax.  He  printed 
for  government,  and  in  the  first  week  of  January,  1752, 
published  the  first  newspaper  printed  in  Nova  Scotia.  The 
work  for  government  was  inconsiderable,  but  was  the  chief 
support  of  Bushell.  He  was  a  good  workman,  but  had  not 
the  art  of  acquiring  property ;  nor  did  he  make  the  most 
economical  use  of  the  little  which  fell  into  his  hands. 

Bushell  died  in  February,  1761.  He  left  one  son  and  a 
daughter.  The  son  was  sent  to  New  England,  and  served 
an  apprenticeship  with  Daniel  Fowle,  printer  in  Ports- 


358          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

mouth,  New  Hampshire.  When  of  age,  he  worked  as  a 
journeyman  in  Philadelphia,  and  at  the  same  time  kept  a 
tavern  at  the  Cross  Keys  in  Front  street.  He  died  Feb 
ruary  4,  1797. 

The  daughter,  whose  name  was  Elizabeth,  had  been  ac- 

o 

customed  to  assist  her  father  in  the  printing  house.  She 
could  work  both  at  case  and  press;  and  was,  in  the  lan 
guage  of  printers,  a  swift  and  correct  compositor.1  Bush- 
ell  left  little,  if  any,  property  to  his  family.  His  daughter 
was  handsome,  but  unfortunate. 

ANTHONY  HENRY  succeeded  Bushellas  a  printer  at  Hali 
fax.  He  was  a  German,  and  had  lived  some  time  with  a 
printer,  but  had  left  his  master,  and  became  a  fifer  in  one 
of  the  British  regiments.  "With  this  regiment  he  came  to 
America.  In  1758,  the  time  for  which  Henry  had  enlisted 
being  ended,  he  was  discharged  from  the  regiment,  which 
was  then  stationed  in  Perth  Amboy,  New  Jersey.  He 
then  went  to  Woodbridge,  and  was  employed  some  months 
in  the  printing  house  of  James  Parker ;  after  which  he 
went  to  Nova  Scotia.  There  was  then  no  printer  in  the 
province,  and  his  pretensions  to  skill  in  this  art  greatly 
facilitated  his  introduction  to  business  in  Halifax.  He 
began  with  the  press  and  types  which  had  been  used  by 
Bushell.  He  published  the  Gazette;  and  government, 


1  There  have  been  many  instances  of  women  performing  the  work  of 
the  printing  house.  The  nieces  of  Dr.  Franklin,  in  Newport,  [See  Newport] 
were  expert  compositors ;  and  so  were,  it  is  said,  the  daughters  of  Mr.  D.  H. 
of  Philadelphia.  Mr.  William  Me  Culloch,of  Philadelphia,  informs  me  that 
he  saw  in  a  printing  house  near  Philadelphia,  two  women  at  the  press, 
who  could  perform  their  week's  work  with  as  much  fidelity  as  most  of  the 
journeymen.  As  compositors,  women  and  girls  have  not  unfrequently 
been  employed,  not  only  in  America,  but  in  Europe.  Some  printers  from 
Scotland  have  assured  us  that  the  daughter  of  the  celebrated  typographer 
of  Glasgow,  Foulis,  was  an  adept  at  the  business.  Foulis  &  Son  flour 
ished  as  printers  about  1765. 

These  remarks  apply  to  the  year  1815. 


NOVA  SCOTIA.  359 

through  necessity,  gave  him  some  work,  which  was  badly 
executed. 

In  1766,  a  printer  with  a  new  and  good  apparatus,  came 
from  London,  and  opened  another  printing  house  in  Hali 
fax.  He  published  a  newspaper,  and  was  employed  to 
print  for  government. 

Henry,  who  had  been  indolent,  and  inattentive  to  his 
affairs,  did  not  despond  at  the  establishment  of  a  formidable 
rival ;  but,  much  to  his  credit,  exerted  himself  and  did  better 
than  he  had  done  before.  After  a  few  years  trial,  his  rival, 
not  finding  his  business  so  profitable,  nor  the  place  so 
agreeable  as  he  expected,  returned  to  England,  and  Henry 
was  again  the  only  printer  in  the  province.  He  procured 
new  types  and  a  workman  better  skilled  than  himself. 
Henry's  printing  from  this  period  was  executed  in  a  more 
workmanlike  manner  than  formerly ;  he  having  employed 
a  good  workman  in  his  printing  house  as  a  journeyman. 

He  remained  without  another  rival  until  the  British 
army  evacuated  Boston  in  March,  1776,  when  the  printers 
in  that  town,  who  adhered  to  the  royal  cause,  were  obliged 
to  leave  that  place  ;  and  they,  with  other  refugees,  went  to 
Halifax.  Henry  continued  printing  until  his  death.  He 
possessed  a  fund  of  good  nature,  and  was  of  a  very  cheer 
ful  disposition.  Although  not  skillful  as  a  printer,  he  was 
otherwise  ingenious.  In  1787,  Henry  having  procured 
German  types  from  the  foundery  of  Justus  Fox,  in  Ger 
man  town,  Pa.,  published  a  newspaper  in  the  German 
language,  of  the  same  title  with  that  which  he  continued 
to  publish  in  English.  This  German  paper  was  conducted 
by  the  journeyman1  before  mentioned. 


1  This  journeyman,  named  Henry  Steiner,  arrived  at  Halifax,  in  1782, 
with  the  last  detachment  of  Hessian  troops  that  came  as  auxiliaries  to  the 
British  in  our  revolutionary  war.  He  was  a  corporal.  He  had  been 
regularly  bred  to  printing.  As  hostilities  ceased  soon  after  his  arrival,  he 
obtained  a  furlough,  to  work  with  Henry.  When  the  detachment  to 


360  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

When  Henry  arrived  in  Halifax,  be  became  acquainted 
witb  a  woman  of  African  extraction,  who  was  a  pastry 
cook,  and  possessed  a  small  property,  the  fruit  of  her  in 
dustry.  To  acquire  this  property,  Henry  consented  to  a 
connection  with  this  sable  female.  The  property  which  he 
acquired  by  this  negotiation  enabled  him  to  purchase  the 
few  printing  materials  which  had  belonged  to  Bushell, 
and  to  build  a  house  in  which  he  afterward  lived.  His 
companion  died,  in  two  or  three  years,  without  issue  by 
him.  Desdemona,  in  another  case  of  particolored  nuptials, 
wished : 

"  That  Heaven  had  made  her  such  man." 

Henry's  consort  had  probably  a  like  desire,  for  it  is  said 
the  proffer  of  marriage  came  from  her. 

In  1773,  Henry  married  a  countrywoman  of  his,  who 
had  been  his  housekeeper  for  ten  years.1 

He  died  December,  1800,  aged  sixty-six. 

ROBERT  FLETCHER  arrived  at  Halifax  from  London,  in 
1766,  with  new  printing  materials,  and  a  valuable  collec 
tion  of  books  and  stationery.  He  opened  a  printing  house 
and  bookstore  near  the  parade;  published  a  newspaper, 
and  printed  for  government.  Until  this  time  there  had 


which  Steiner  belonged  was  about  to  return  to  Europe,  his  officers,  ac 
cording  to  his  account,  contracted  to  sell  him  to  Henry  for  the  term  of 
eighteen  months,  for  thirty-six  guineas.  Steiuer,  supposing  this  sale  to 
be  legal,  continued  with  Henry  the  time  stipulated  ;  after  which,  receiving 
good  wages,  he  remained  with  him  till  1789.  Steiner  then  went  to 
Philadelphia.  When  Steiner  left  Henry,  his  German  paper  was  dis 
continued. 

1  On  the  occasion,  the  following  paragraph  appeared,  February,  1774, 
in  the  Boston  Evening  Post.  "  Married  at  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  Mr. 
Anthony  Henry,  aged  about  30,  to  Mrs.  Barbary  Springhoff,  aged  about 
96  ;  it  is  said  she  has  two  husbands  now  living,  seven  children,  ten  grand 
children,  and  fifty  great  grand  children." 

This  statement  is  not  correct.  Henry  was  then  forty  years  old,  and 
Barbary  not  more  than  fifty-five.  She  had  several  children  and  grand 
children  ;  but  not  near  the  number  mentioned. 


NOVA  SCOTIA.  361 

been  no  bookstore  in  the  province.  Fletcher  executed  his 
printing  with  neatness,  and  raised  the  reputation  of  the 
art  in  Nova  Scotia.  He  remained  at  Halifax  until  1770, 
then  sent  his  printing  materials  to  Boston  for  sale,  and 
returned  himself  to  England. 

JOHN  HOWE  began  printing  in  Halifax,  in  1776.1 
After  the  peace,  in  1784,  printing  found  its  way  into  the 
province  of  New  Brunswick. 


1  See  ante,  p.  176-7,  also  Sabine's  Loyalists  of  the  American  Revolution,  i, 
548-50.—  M. 


38 


362          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


CANADA. 

The  art  was  introduced  into  Canada  soon  after  its  con 
quest  by  the  British.  There  was,  however,  but  one  press 
established  there  before  1775. 

QUEBEC. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  government  of  the 
province  by  the  British,  a  printing  house  was  established 
in  Quebec  by  William  Brown  and  Thomas  Gilmore,  under 
the  firm  of  BROWN  &  GILMORE.  They  were  the  first  who 
introduced  the  art  into  Canada.  They  printed  in  both 
English  and  French ;  and  their  work  was  executed  in  a 
very  handsome  manner.  Brown,  I  am  informed,  was  a 
Scotchman,  and  had  been  employed  some  years  in  the 
printing  house  of  William  Hunter,  in  Williamsburg,  Va. 
Gilmore  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  served  an  ap 
prenticeship  with  William  Dunlap,  in  Philadelphia.1  Their 
partnership  continued  till  1774.  From  that  time,  Brown, 
the  senior  partner,  carried  on  the  business  for  himself. 


1  The  intelligence  sent  to  me  from  Canada  respecting  the  country  where 
these  printers  were  born,  as  published  in  the  first  edition,  I  find  was 
erroneous.  I  have  since  received  more  correct  information  respecting 
them. 


ADDENDA. 

CHRISTOPHER  SOWER  THIRD. — The  following  article, 
handed  to  the  author  from  a  gentleman  in  Philadelphia, 
reflects  much  honor  on  the  character  of  Christopher  Sower, 
the  third. 

Capt.  Coleman,  who  took  Sower  prisoner  in  his  excursion 
to  Germantown,  was  himself,  sometime  after  Sower's  re 
lease,  taken  prisoner  by  the  British,  and  confined  on  board 
a  prison-ship  in  New  York,  with  others  from  Germantown 
who  were  acquainted  with  Sower.  Some  time  after  their 
confinement,  Sower,  with  some  of  his  British  friends,  went 
on  board  of  the  prison-ship,  but  did  not  know  of  the  capture 
and  confinement  of  his  Germantown  acquaintance.  Sower 
soon  recognized  Coleman  and  the  others,  who  rather 
shunned  than  courted  an  interview  with  him.  However, 
Sower  went  to  them,  familiarly  accosted  them,  and  ex 
pressed  his  surprise  at  finding  them  in  their  present  situa 
tion.  He  told  them,  particularly  Coleman,  that  they  had 
nothing  to  fear  from  his  resentment,  but  that,  on  the  con 
trary,  he  was  disposed  to  befriend  them  as  much  as  lay  in 
his  power ;  and  for  that  purpose  inquired  into  their  present 
circumstances.  Soon  after  Sower  left  the  prison-ship  he 
supplied  Coleman  with  linen  and  other  necessaries,  and  in 
the  course  of  a  few  days  effected  his  liberation,  and  that  of 
the  two  others,  his  companions,  without  an  exchange. 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX  A. 

HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

COMMUNICATED  BY  HON.  JOHN  R.  BAKTLETT. 

The  precise  date  of  the  introduction  of  printing  into  Mexico,  was 
for  a  long  time  in  doubt.  Mr.  Thomas  is  correct  in  his  statement 
that  the  art  was  introduced  into  that  country  before  the  year  1569, 
the  date  of  the  license  for  printing  Molina's  dictionary,  and  he  is 
not  far  from  the  mark,  after  reading  what  the  Abbe  Clavigero  says, 
in  saying  that  "  We  may  conclude  that  printing  was  introduced  into 
Mexico  previous  to  the  year  1540."  When  Mr.  Thomas  wrote  his 
History  of  Printing  in  America,  early  works  on  America  were 
rare,  and  it  is  probable  that  there  was  not  one  in  the  country  printed 
in  either  America  or  Europe  in  the  XVIth  century,  except  the 
copy  of  Molina's  dictionary  ;  now  many  of  the  period  may  be  found 
in  our  great  private  libraries.  The  dictionary  of  Molina,  in  Mexi 
can  and  Spanish,  printed  in  Mexico,  in  1571,  in  folio,  was,  by  many, 
asserted  and  believed  to  be  the  earliest  book  printed  in  America. 
It  was  found  in  several  collections,  both  public  and  private,  and  no 
one  here  had  seen  an  earlier  book  until  the  Doctrina  Christiana 
printed  in  the  house  of  Juan  Cromberger,  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  in 
the  year  1544,  was  discovered.  Copies  of  this  rare  work  were  found 
in  two  well  known  private  libraries  in  New  York  and  Providence. 
For  a  long  time  the  honor  was  awarded  to  this  as  the  earliest  book 
printed  in  America.  But  there  is  now  strong  evidence  that  printing 
was  really  introduced  in  Mexico  nine  years  before  that  time,  and 
positive  evidence,  by  existing  books,  that  a  press  was  established  in 
1540. 


366          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Headers  familiar  with  early  books  relating  to  Mexico  have  seen 
mention  of  a  book  printed  there  as  early  as  1535.  The  particulars 
are  given  by  Padilla,  in  his  work  entitled  Ilistoria  de  la  Fundacion 
y  Discurso  de  la  Provincia  de  Santiago  de  Mexico,  de  la  Orden  de 
Predicadores,  etc.,  1625,  folio.  At  page  542,  speaking  of  Fr.  Juan 
de  Estrada,  he  says  :  "  Estando  en  casa  de  novicios  hizo  una  cosa,  que 
por  la  primera  que  se  hizo  en  esta  tierra  bastaba  para  darle  nieuioria, 
cuando  el  autor  no  la  tuviera  como  la  tiene  ganada  por  haber  sido 
quien  fue.  El  primer  libro  que  en  este  nuevo  niundo  se  escribio  y 
la  primera  cosa  en  que  se  ejercito  Ja  imprenta  en  esta  tierra,  fueobra 
suya.  Dabaseles  &  los  novicios  un  libro  de  S.  Juan  Climaco,  y  coino 
no  los  hubiese  en  romance  mandaronle  que  lo  tradujese  de  latin. 
Hizolo  asi  con  presteza  y  elegancia,  por  ser  nmy  buen  latino  y  roman- 
cista,  y  fue  su  libro  el  primero  que  se  imprimio  por  Juan  Pablos, 
primer  impresor  que  d  esta  tierra  vino.  Bien  se  nmestra  la  devocion 
de  Sto.  Domingo  de  Mexico  en  que  un  hijo  suyo  haya  sido  el  primero 
que  en  este  nuevo  muudo  imprimiese,  y  cosa  tan  devota  corno  la  Es- 
cala  espiritual  de  San  Juan  Climaco." 

"  Being  in  the  house  of  the  novices,  he  did  a  thing,  which,  being 
first  done  by  him  in  this  country,  was  enough  to  give  him  fame,  if 
he  had  not  otherwise  gained  it,  as  he  has  gained  it,  by  being  what 
he  was.  The  first  book  which  in  this  new  world  was  written,  and 
the  first  thing  in  which  the  art  of  printing  was  employed  in  this 
land,  was  his  work.  There  was  usually  given  to  the  novices  a  book 
of  St.  John  Climacus,  and  as  it  did  not  exist  in  our  language,  [en 
romance]  he  was  ordered  to  translate  it  from  the  Latin.  He  did  it 
with  quickness  and  elegance,  for  he  was  a  good  Latin  and  Spanish 
scholar ;  and  his  book  was  the  first  which  was  printed  by  John 
Pablos,  the  first  printer  who  came  to  this  country.  It  shows  well 
the  devotion  of  [the  Province  of  ]  San  Domingo,  of  Mexico,  that 
one  of  her  sous  was  the  first  who  printed  in  this  new  world,  and 
that  he  printed  so  devout  a  work  as  the  Spiritual  Ladder  of  St. 
John  Climacus." 

The  next  writer  who  refers  to  this  early  translation  of  Climacus 
is  Fr.  Alonzo  Fernandez,  in  his  Historia  Ecdesiastica  de  Nucstros 
T tempos"  Toledo,  1611,  folio.  Speaking  of  Fr.  Juan  de  Estrada, 
(page  122),  he  says  :  "  Este  padre  imprimio  la  traduccion  que  hizc 


APPENDIX.  367 

de  San  Juan  Climaco,  muy  provechosa,  etc.  Este  fue  el  primero 
libro  que  se  impriniid  en  Mexico,  y  fue  ano  de  mil  y  quinientos  y 
trienta  y  cinco." 

"  This  Father  printed  the  translation  which  he  made  of  St.  John 
Climacus,  very  profitable,  etc.  This  was  the  first  book  printed  in 
Mexico,  and  it  was  in  the  year  1535." 

The  next  authority  is  found  in  the  Teatro  Edesiastico  de  la 
primitiva  Iglesia  de  las  Indias  Occidentales  by  Gil  Gonzales  Davila, 
Madrid,  1649,  folio,  page  23.  He  says  "  En  el  aiio  de  mil  y  quini 
entos  y  trienta  y  dos  el  Virey  D.  Antonio  de  Mendoza  llevo  la  im- 
prenta  a  Mexico.  El  primer  impresor  fue  Juan  Pablos  :  y  el  primer 
libro  que  se  imprimio  en  el  Nuevo  Mundo,  fue  el  que  escribio  S. 
Juan  Climaco  con  el  titulo  de  Escala  espiritual  para  llegar  al  cielo, 
traducido  del  latin  al  castellano,  por  el  V.  P.  Fr.  Juan  de  la  Magda- 
lena,  religioso  dominico." 

In  the  year  1532,  the  Viceroy  D.  Antonio  de  Mendoza  carried 
printing  to  Mexico.  The  first  printer  was  Juan  Pablos,  and  the 
first  book  printed  in  the  new  world  was  that  written  by  St.  John 
Climacus,  entitled  Spiritual  Ladder  to  ascend  to  Heaven.  Trans 
lated  from  the  Latin  into  the  Castilian  by  the  Ven.  P.  Fr.  Juan  de 
la  Magdelena,  Dominican  Religious." 

These  three  writers  who  refer  to  the  "  translation  of  the  Spiritual 
Ladder  "  of  Climacus,  agree  except  in  the  date.  They  all  state  that 
it  was  the  first  book  printed  in  Mexico ;  and  two  of  them  add  that 
Juan  Pablos  was  the  printer.  Davila,  the  last  author  mentioned, 
says  the  translation  was  made  by  Juan  de  la  Magdalena,  while  Pa- 
dilla  and  Fernandez  say  that  Juan  de  Estrada  was  the  translator. 
These  names  refer  to  the  same  person,  "  Magdalena  being  the  cloister 
name  of  Estrada.1  The  date  of  1532  given  by  Gonzales  Davila  is 
evidently  wrong.  He  says  Mendoza  carried  printing  to  Mexico  in 
1532;  whereas  it  is  a  well  known  fact  that  Mendoza  was  appointed 
viceroy  in  April  1535,  and  did  not  arrive  in  Mexico  until  the  mid 
dle  of  October,  of  the  same  year.  (See  Die.  Universal  de  Hist,  y  de 
Geog.,  torn,  v,  p.  240,  article  Mendoza}.  Brunet  notices  the  same 
discrepancy  in  the  date  of  Mendoza's  arrival.  He  does  not  however 


1  See  Damla  Padilla,  p.  542,  also  Antonio  BiUwtheca  Nova,  torn.  T,  p. 
085.     Both  in  speaking  of  Estrada  say,  "  Estrada  alias  Magdalena," 


368          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

refer  to  the  work  of  Fernandez,  and  says  the  epoch  of  the  introduc 
tion  of  printing  in  the  new  world  remains  to  be  fixed.  The  true 
date  of  Mendoza's  arrival  in  Mexico  being  1535,  the  date  corre 
sponds  with  that  given  by  Alonzo  Fernandez  for  the  introduction  of 
printing,  and  with  the  time  when  Estrada  made  his  profession  after 
one  year's  novitiate,  during  which  time  he  is  said  to  have  made  his 
translation. 

It  seems  that  no  copy  of  the  Spiritual  Ladder  has  ever  been  seen 
in  recent  times,  and  the  quoted  testimonials  are  the  only  ones  yet 
found  which  refer  to  it.  The  disappearance  of  this  book  in  more 
than  three  hundred  years  after  its  publication  is  by  no  means  sur 
prising,  for  a  work  of  its  kind,  of  which,  as  Mr.  Icazbalceta  remarks, 
[being  intended  for  the  use  of  the  novices,]  but  a  small  number  was 
probably  printed.  These,  perhaps,  were  never  circulated  outside 
the  convent,  but  used  up  as  school  books  generally  are,  sooner  than 
any  other  class. 

D.  Joaquin  Garcia  Icazbalceta,  of  the  city  of  Mexico,  has  carefully 
examined  the  subject  of  Mexican  typography,  and  published  the 
results  in  an  elaborate  article  in  the  Diccionario  Universal  de  His- 
toria  y  de  Geografia.  Tom.  v.  Mexico.  1854.  Folio,  page  961. 
This  learned  writer  gives  a  list  of  books  printed  in  Mexico  prior  to 
1600,  and  the  places  where  copies  still  exist.  We  quote  the  titles  of 
those  printed  before  the  year  1544,  the  date  of  the  Doctrina  Christi 
ana  hitherto  supposed  to  be  the  first  book  printed  in  America.1 

1 .  Manual  de  Adultos,  of  which  only  the  last  leaves  have  been 
saved,  bearing  the  following  termination  :  "  Impriniiose  este  Manual 
de  Adultos  en  la  gran  ciudad  de  Mexico  par  mandado  de  los  Rev. 
Seilores  Obispos  de  la  Nueva  Espana  y  d  sus  expensas :  en  casa  de 
Juan  Cromberger.  Ano  del  nacimiento  de  nuestro  Seiior  Jesu 
Christo  de  mill  y  quinientos  y  quarenta.  A  xiij  dias  del  ines  de 
Deziembre."  4to.  Gothic  Letter.  [1540.]'2 

The  above  description  was  furnished  Seiior  Icazbalceta  by  D. 
Francisco  Gonzalez  de  Vera,  of  Madrid. 


1  For  a  note  on  this  book  and  its  claims  to  being  the  first  book  printed 
in  America,  see  Rich's  Ribliothcca  Americana. 

2  We  regret  that  we  cannot  give  the  number  of  pages  in  these  several 
books  named,  as  they  are  not  stated  in  the  work  from  which  we  quote. 


APPENDIX.  369 

Doctrina  Christiana,  etc.     Mexico.     No  date. 

This  volume,  unknown  to  bibliographers,  was  found  by  Mr.  Har- 
risse  in  the  Provincial  Library  at  Toledo.  It  is  described  by  him 
in  his  Additions  to  his  Bibliotheca  Americana  Vetustissima,  and  for 
reasons  there  given,  placed  under  the  date  of  1540. 

2.  "  Relacion  del  espantable  terremoto,  que  agora  nuevamenta  ha 
acontecido  en  la  cibdad  de  Guatemala  :  es  cosa  de  grande  admira- 
cion  y  de  grande  ejemplo  para  que  todos  nos  emendernos  de  nuestros 
pecados  y  estemos  aprescividos  para  quando  Dios  fuere  servido  de  nos 
llamar."     At  the  end  "  Fue  impresa  en  la  gran  ciudad  de  Mexico  en 
casa  de  Juan  Cromberger  ano   mill  y  quinientos  y  quarenta  y  uno." 
4to.     4  leaves.      Gothic  letter.     [1541.] 

Description  furnished  by  Don  Francisco  Gonzalez  de  Vera  of 
Madrid. 

3.  "  Doctrina  breve  uiuy  provechosa  de  las  cosas  que  pertenecen 
a  la  fe  catholica  y  a  nuestra  cristiandad  en  estilo  llano  para  cornun 
inteligencia.     Conipuesto  por  el   Kev.  P.  don  fray  Juan  Zumarraga, 
primer  obispo  de  Mexico,  del  consejo  de  su  magestad.     Impressa  en 
la  misma   ciudad  de  Mexico  por  su  inandado  y  &  su  costa.     Aiio  de 
Mdxliij.  [1543]    4to.      Gothic  letter.     Title  1543,  colophon  1544. 

In  the  possession  of  Senor  Icazbalceta,  of  Mexico. 

4.  "  Este  es  un  compendio  breve  que  tracta  de  la  manera  de  como 
se  han  de  hazer  las  processiones:  compuesto  por  Dionisio  Richel  car- 
tuxano :  que  esta  en  latin  en  la  primera  parte  de  sus  preciosos  opus- 
culos :  romanzado  para  comun  utilidad." 

At  the  end:  "  Se  imprimio  en  esta  gran  ciudad  de  Tenuchtitlan 
Mexico  de  esta  nueva  Espaiia  por  uiandado  del  muy  reverendo  seiior 

don  Fray  Juan  Zumarraga  :  primer  obispo  de  la  misma  ciudad 

En  casa  de  Juan  Cromberger.  Aiio  de  M.D.xliiij."  [1544]  4to. 
Gothic  letter. 

In  the  possession  of  Senor  Icazbalceta,  of  Mexico. 

5.  "  Este  es  un  compendio  "  etc.,  (the  same  as  the  previous  work). 
At  the  end,  "  Aqui  se  acaba  este  breve  compendio  de  Dionysio  car- 
tuxano  :  con  la  adicion   de   los  argumentos  con  sus  respuestas,  etc., 
que  tracta  de   lo  que  es  mandado  y  vedado  en  las  processiones  :  en 
especial  en  la  de  Corpus  Christi,  por  cuya  causa  se  romanzo.     Im- 

39 


370          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

presso  en  Mexico  per  mandado  de  s.  obispo  don  fray  Juan  Zumar- 
raga  :  en  casa  de  Juan  Cromberger.     4to.      Gothic  letter. 

In  the  library  of  the  Convent  de  San  Cosme.  An  edition,  Mr. 
Icazbalceta  says,  very  different  and  fuller  than  the  one  previously 
mentioned.  Mr.  I.  does  not  give  the  date  of  this  work,  but  from 
his  placing  it  with  the  publications  of  1544,  this  very  careful  and 
reliable  author  doubtless  had  authority  in  the  book  itself  for  so 
doing. 

6.  "  Tripartito    del    Christianissimo  y   consolatorio  doctor  Juan 
Gerson  de  doctrina  Christiana  :  a  cualquiera  muy  provechosa.     Tra- 
duzido  de  latin  en   lengua  Castellana  para  el  bien  de  muchos  neces- 
sario.     Impresso   en   Mexico  :  en  casa  de  Juan  Croniberger.     Por 
mandado  y  a  costa  del  R.   S.   Obispo  de  la  misma  ciudad  F.  Juan 
Zumarraga.     Revisto  y  examinado  por  sa  mandado.     Ano  de  M.D.- 
xliiij."     [1544]  4to.      Gothic  letter. 

In  the  possession  of  Senor  Icazbalceta. 

7.  "  Doctrina  Christiana  para    instruccion  e    informacion   de  los 
Indies,  por  manera  de  hysteria.     Compuesta  por  el  muy  reverendo 
padre  fray  Pedro   de   Cordova,  de  buena  memoria  primero  fundador 
de  la  orden   de  los  Predicadores  en   las  yslas  del  mar  Oceano :  y 
por  otros  religiosos  doctos  de  la  misma  orden. ...  La  qua!  fue  em- 
pressa  en  Mexico   por  mandada   del  muy  R.  S.  don  fray  Juan  Zu 
marraga  primer   Obispo   desta  ciudad :  del  consejo  de  su  Majestad 
&c.  y  a  su  costa.     Ano  de  M.dxliiij."     [1544.] 

At  the  end  :  "  Impressa  en  la  grande  y  mas  leal  ciudad  de  Mexico  : 
en  casa  de  Juan  Cromberger  :  que  santa  gloria  aya  a  costa  del  dicho 
senor  obispo," etc.  Acabose  de  imprimir  Aiio  de  M.d.xliiij."  [1544] 
4to.  Gothic  letter. 

Copies  are  in  the  possession  of  Senor  Icazbalceta,  of  Mexico,  and 
of  Mr.  John  Carter  Brown,  of  Providence,  R.  I. 

The  same  doubt  which  exists  as  to  the  first  printed  book,  exists  also 
in  regard  to  the  first  printer.  In  1540,  we  find  a  book,  the  Manual 
Adultos  before  referred  to,  issued  from  the  press  of  Juan  Cromberger, 
in  the  city  of  Mexico.  This  Cromberger  was  a  celebrated  printer  in 
Seville.  Other  known  works  bear  his  imprint  with  the  dates  of  1541 
and  1544  in  Mexico.  Before  and  during  the  same  years,  books  bear 
ing  Crouiberger's  imprint  at  Seville  also  appeared,  several  of  them 


APPENDIX.  371 

(for  example  the  Onzeno  de  Amadis,  1546,  and  as  early  as  1541, 
Sepulveda's  Dialoyo  llamado  Democrates}  followed  by  a  remark 
indicating  that  he  was  deceased,  viz. :  "  que  santa  gloria  haya,"  and 
"  difunto  que  Dios  haya."  The  printing  may  have  been  carried  on 
by  his  family  after  his  death,  as  was  often  the  case  with  eminent 
printers.  The  Regla  Christiana  breve,  printed  in  Mexico  in  1547, 
4to,  Gothic  letter,  has  no  printer's  name;  while  the  Doctrina 
Christiana  en  lengua  Esganolay  Mexicana,"  printed  in  1550,  bears 
the  name  of  Juan  Pablos  as  printer,  the  same  one  who  is  said  to 
have  printed  the  Escala  Espiritaal,  and  who  calls  himself  the  first 
printer  in  the  new  world,  at  the  end  of  a  book  printed  by  him  in 
Mexico,  in  1556,  folio,  Gothic  letter,  entitled  Gonstitutiones  del 
arzobispado  y  provincia  de  la  muy  insigne  y  muy  leal  ciudad  de 
Tenuchtitlan,  Mexico,  de  la  Nueva  Espana. 

Mr.  Icazbalceta,  in  his  article  before  referred  to,  from  which  we 
have  quoted  these  titles,  makes  a  very  happy  conjecture  by  which 
the  apparent  contradiction  seems  removed.  He  suggests  that  Juan 
Pablos  may  have  been  at  Seville  in  the  employ  of  Cromberger,  who 
was  charged  by  Mendoza  with  the  establishment  of  a  printing  press 
in  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  who  sent  Juan  Pablos  over  to  conduct  the 
business  in  the  name  and  for  the  benefit  of  his  master.  That  after 
the  death  of  Cromberger,  Pablos  became  the  owner  of  the  establish 
ment,  and  was  in  this  way,  although  not  the  first  owner  of  a  printing 
press,  nevertheless  entitled  to  the  honor  of  calling  himself  the  first 
printer  in  Mexico. 

Although  we  know  of  no  book  with  a  date  as  early  as  that  attri 
buted  to  the  translation  of  Climacus,  it  remains  for  us  to  note  two 
other  works  of  this  period  which  we  find  mentioned.  Gil  Gonzales 
Davila,  already  quoted,  says  on  page  7  of  his  Theatro  Ecclesiastico, 
"  El  primer  Catechismo  que  se  imprimio  en  Lengua  Mexicana,  para 
ensenanza  de  los  Indies  le  escrivid  el  M.  F.  Juan  Ramires,  Religioso 
Dominico,  en  el  ailo  1537,  que  dedpues  fue  dignissimo  Obispo  de 
la  Santa  Iglesia  de  Guatemala." 

Nicholas  Antonio,  vol.  I,  p.  765,  Madrid  ed.,  mentions  only  as 
written  by  Juan  Ramirez  Advcrtencia  sobre  el  servicio  personal, 
etc.,  and  Campo  Florida,  ejemplos para  exhortar  a  la  virtud,  etc. 
Alonzo  Fernandas,  in  his  Historia  Ecclesiastica  ie  Nuestros  Tiempos. 


372         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Toledo,  1611,  folio,  where  he  speaks  of  the  Dominicans  who  had 
written  and  printed  religious  Looks  for  the  instruction  of  the  Indians, 
mentions  F.  Juan  Ramirez  having  written  "  Un  libro  copiosissimo 
de  ejemplos  para  exhortar  a  toda  virtud,"  etc.  Fr :  Augustin  Da- 
vila  Padilla,  before  cited,  mentions  only  the  Exemplos  para  cx- 
liortar,  etc. 

8.  Cancionero  Spiritual  en  que  de  contierien  obvas  muy  prove- 
chosas  y  edificantes,  etc.     Mexico.     1546.     Juan  Pallos. 

[From  Sr.  Pascqual  de  Gayangos,  Spanish  translator  of  Tickncr's 
Hist,  of  Spanish  Literature.^ 

9.  A  de  Mendoza,  Orderanzas,  etc.    Mexico.    1548.   Folio.   Juan 
Pablos.     [Harrisse.] 

Antonio  de  Leon  does  not  mention  our  author,  but  Bon  Antouio 
de  Alcedo  y  Bexarano,  in  his  Bibliotcca  Americana,  1807,  Ms.  2 
vols.  folio  (copy  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  John  Carter  Brown),  attri 
butes  to  him  the  following  :  Catecismo  en  lengua  Mexicana  para 
instruir  d  los  Indios  en  la  Religion  Christiana,  Mexico,  1594,  4to. 

The  actual  existence  of  this  catechism  of  llamirez  we  find  no 
where  shown.  Gonzales  Davilla's  assertion  that  it  was  the  first 
catechism  printed  in  the  Mexican  language,  and  the  date  of  1537 
given  by  the  same  on  page  7,  does  not  interfere  with  his  statement 
on  page  23,  as  already  quoted.  We  have  seen  that  the  date  of 
1532  has  to  be  changed  to  1535,  when,  according  to  his  assertion, 
printing  was  introduced  into  the  new  world.  The  year  given  by 
Alcedo  may  be  either  a  mistake,  or  it  may  refer  to  a  later  edition. 

There  is  yet  another  statement  about  a  pretended  first  print  of  the 
Mexican  press.  C.  Falkenstein,  in  his  Geschichte  der  J3uch  drucker- 
kunst,  Leipzig,  1840,  4to,  p.  329,  says  that  "  Girolamo  Paolo  Loin- 
bardo  of  Brescia,  had  been  called  by  the  Viceroy  Mendoza  to  Mexico, 
in  order  to  print  the  ordinationes  legumque  collectiones  pro  con- 
vento  juridico  Mexicano,  and  that  this  work,  a  folio,  published  in 
1549,  may  be  considered  as  the  first  American  print.  He  names 
Gonzales  for  authority;  and  part  of  his  quotation  answers  per 
fectly  to  the  above  extract  from  Gonzales  Davila.  But  we  have  not 
found  the  given  title,  year  and  size  in  the  Teatro  Eclcsiastico,  nor 
any  other  reference  to  such  a  work.  Antonio  de  Leon,  in  his 


APPENDIX.  373 

Epitome  says,  that  the  Licenciado  Antonio  Maldonado  was  the  first 
to  undertake  a  Reportorio  de  las  Cedulas,  Provisiones,  y  Ordenanc_as 
Reales,  for  which  work  he  was  authorized  by  a  royal  decree  issued 
in  the  year  1556.  It  is  not  known  that  he  ever  finished  it.  Anto 
nio  de  Leon  further  says,  Dr.  Vasco  de  Puga  carried  out  the  same 
plan  in  his  work  entitled  Provisiones  Cedulas  Instrucciones  de  su 
Majestadj  etc.  Mexico  ;  en  casa  de  Pedro  Ocharte,  1563.  Folio. 
Black  letter.  This  book  exists,  but  neither  in  the  royal  decree 
ordering  the  viceroy  to  have  such  a  collection  made,  nor  in  the 
author's  preface  is  found  any  indication  that  an  earlier  work  of  the 
same  character  was  known  at  the  time.  Nicholas  Antonio  does  not 
furnish  any  additional  light  as  to  the  first  law  collections  of  New 
Spain.  He  did  not  even  know  of  the  Cedulario  of  Puga. 


A  LIST  OF  BOOKS  PRINTED  IN  MEXICO  BETWEEN  THE  YEARS 

1540  AND  1600  INCLUSIVE. 

1540.  Manual  de  Adultos,  [of  which  only  the  last  leaves  are  known, 
bearing  the  following  termination :]  Imprimiose  este  Manual  de 
Adultos  en  la  gran  ciudad  de  Mexico  por  mandado  do  los  Rev. 
Seiiores  Obispos  de  la  Nueva  Espana  y  a  sus  expensas :  en  casa  de 
Juan  Cromberger.  Aiio  del  iiaciiniento  de  nuestro  Seiior  Jesu 
Christo  de  mil  y  quinientos  y  quarenta.  A  xiij  dias  del  rues  de 
Deziembre.  4to.  Gothic  letter. 

1540.  DORTRINA  CHRISTIANA.     [No  date]  assigned  to  this  year 
by  Harrisse. 

1541.  Relacion  del  espantable  terremoto,  que  agora  nuevamenta 
ha  acontecido  en  la  cibdad  de  Guatemala,  etc.    MEXICO.  Juan  Crom- 
lerger.     4to.      Gothic  letter. 

*1543.  JUAN  ZUMARRAGA.  Doctrina  breve  uruy  provechosa  de- 
las  cosas  que  pertenecen  a  la  fe  catholica  y  a  nuestra  cristiandad  en 
estilo  llano  para  comun  inteligencia.  MEXICO.  Juan  Cromberger.  4to. 
Gothic  letter.  (Catalogue  Andrade,  No.  2369.) 

1544.  DIONISIO  RICH  EL.  Este  es  un  compendio  breue  que  tracta 
de  la  manera  de  corno  se  han  de  hacer  las  procesiones,  etc.  MEXICO  : 
Juan  Cromberger.  4to.  Gothic  letter.  (  Catalogue  Andrade:  N  o.  2667.) 


374          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

1544.  DIONISIO  RICIIEL.  Este  es  un  coiupendio,  etc.  Another 
edition  of  the  same  work.  MEXICO  :  Juan  Cromberger  [without 
date]  4to.  Gothic  letter.  (Catalogue  Andrade,  No.  2666,)  this  edi 
tion  is  placed  by  Mr.  Icazbalceta  among  the  publications  of  1544. 

*1544.  JUAN  GERSON.  Tripartite  del  christianissimo  y  consola- 
torio  doctor  Juan  Gerson  de  doctriua  Christiana :  a  cualquiera  muy 
provechosa,  etc.  MEXICO  :  Juan  Cromberger.  4to.  Gothic  letter. 
( Catalogue  Andrade,  No.  2477.) 

•j~1544.  PEDRO  DE  CORDOVA.  Doctrina  Christiana  por  instruccion 
e  informacion  de  los  Indios  :  por  manera  de  historia,  etc.  MEXICO  : 
Juan  Cromberger.  4to.  Gothic  letter. 

1546.  JUAN  QUMARRAGA.  Doctrina  cristiana :  mas  cierta  y  ver- 
dadera  pa  gete  sin  erudicio  y  tetras.  MEXICO,  [no  printer's  name.] 
4to.  Gothic  letter.  (Catalogue  Andrade,  No.  2370.) 

1546.  Cancionero  Spiritual  en  que  de  contierien  obvras  muy  prove- 
chosas  y  edificantes,  etc.     MEXICO.     1546.     Juan  Pablos. 

[From  >3r.  Pascqual  de  Gayangos,  Spanish  translator  of  Tickuer's 
Hist,  of  Spanish  Literature.'] 

1547.  Regla  Christiana  breue  :  p  ordenar  la  vida  y  tpo  d'l  xpiano 
q.  se  qere  saluar  y  tener  su  alma  dispuesta :  pa  q.     Jesu  xpo  more 
enella.  MEXICO  :  [no printer's  name.]  4to.    Gothicletter.  (Catalogue 
Andrade,  No.  2658.) 

1548.  Ordeuarizas  do  Antonio  de  Mendoza.     Folio.    Juan  Pablos 
(Haraisse). 

*1548.  Doctrina  en  Mexicano.  MEXICO  :  Juan  Pablos.  4to. 
Gothic  letter. 

This  is  said  by  Mr.  Icazbalceta  to  be  the  earliest  book  known, 
printed  in  an  aboriginal  language  of  America. 

1549.  F.  BRAVO  DE  ORSUNA.    Opera  Medicinalia.  MEXICO  :  4to. 
*1550.   Doctrina    Christiana    en    lengua   Espaiiola   y    Mexicana. 

MEXICO  :  Juan  Pablos.     4 to.      Gothic  letter. 

*1553.  PEDRO  DE  GANTE.  Doctrina  cristiana  en  lengua  Mexi 
cana.  MEXICO  :  Juan  Pablos.  8vo. 

1554.  ALPH.  A.  VERACRUCE.  Recognitio  Summularum.  MEXICO. 
Folio. 

1554.  ALPU.  A.  VERACRUCE.  Dialectica  Kesolutio.  MEXICO. 
Folio. 


APPENDIX.  375 

1554.  F.  CERVANTES  SALAZAR.     Dialog!.     MEXICO  :  8vo. 

*1555.  ALONZO  DE  MOLINA.  Yocabulario  mexicano.  MEXICO  : 
Juan  Pablos.  4to. 

1556.  ALPH.  A.  YERACRUCE.  Speculum  conjugiorum.  MEXICO. 
Juan  Pablos.  4to. 

1556.  ALPH.  A.  YERACRUCE.  Constituciones  del  arzobispado  de 
Mexico.  MEXICO.  Fol. 

1556.  ALPH.  A.  YERACRUCE.  Ordinarium  sacri  ordinis  hcoremit- 
arura.  MEXICO.  4to. 

1556.  FRANCISCO  MARROQUIN.  Doctrina  Christiana  en  lengua 
Utlatleca.  MEXICO.  4to.  (Remesal,  Hist,  de  Chiapas,  lib.  in,  cap. 
vii,  Ternaux,  No.  98.) 

1556.  FREYRE.  Sumario  de  las  quentas  de  plata  y  oro  en  los  rey- 
nos  del  Pira.     MEXICO.     8vo.     (Ternaux,  No.  73). 

1557.  ALPH.  A.  YERACRUCE.  Physicaspeculatio.  MEXICO.  Folio. 
*1558.  MATURING  G-ILBERTI.     Arte  en  lengua  de  Mechoacan  : 

MEXICO.  Juan  Pablos.     8vo.     Italics. 

*1559.  MATURING  GILBERTI.  Dialogo  de  doctrina  Christiana  en 
lengua  de  Mechuacan.  MEXICO.  Juan  Pablos  Bressano.  4to. 
Gothic  letter.  . 

*1559.  MATURING  GILBERTI.  Yocabulario  en  lengua  de  Mechu 
acan.  MEXICO.  Juan  Pablos  Bressano. 

1559.  MATURING  GILBERTI.     Gramrnatica  latina.  MEXICO.  8vo. 

1559.  A.   DE   LA  YERA  CRUZ.     Carta  [without  date].  MEXICO. 
Folio. 

1560.  ANDRES  DE  OLMOS.  Grammatica  et  Lexicon  Linguae  Blex- 
icanae.  Totonaquae  et  Huastecae.    MEXICO.    2  vols.  4to.     (Squier's 
Monograph  of  Authors  on   the   Languages  of  Central  America,  p. 
38). 

1560.  Manual  para  administrar  los  sacramentos.     MEXICO.    4to. 
f!560.  FRANCISCO  DE  CEPEDA.  Arte  de  las  lenguas  Chiapa,  Zoque, 

celdales  y  cinacanteca.  MEXICO.  4to. 

1561.  Missale  Romanum.     MEXICO.     Folio. 

•j-1563.  YASCO  DE  PUGA.  Provisiones,  C(5dulas,  instrucciones  de  su 
Majestad,  para  la  buena  expedicion  de  los  negocios  y  administracion 
dejusticia,  y  governacion  desta  Nueva  Espaiia  etc.  MEXICO.  Pedro 
Ocharte.  Folio. 


376  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

1565.  Catalogus  Patrum  Concilii  Tridentini.  [without  date]. 
MEXICO.  4to. 

fl565  ALONZO  DE  MOLINA.  Confessionario  mayor  en  lengua 
Mexicana  y  Castellana.  MEXICO.  Antonio  de  Espinosa.  4to. 

f!565.  ALONZO  DE  MOLINA.  Confessionario  breue  en  lengua  Mex 
icana  y  Castellana.  MEXICO.  Antonio  de  Espinosa.  4to. 

1565.  DOMINGO  DE  LA  ANUNCIACION.  Doctrina  Christiana  en  Cas- 
tellano  y  Mexicano.  MEXICO.   Pedro  Ocharte.    4to.  (Ternaux,  No. 
93.     Bibliotheca  Americana,  Le  Clerk,  No.  467). 

1566.  B.  A.  LEDESMA.  De  Septem  novae  legis  sacramentis.  MEX- 
CO :  4to.     (Rich's  Bib.  Americana  Vetus,  No.  46). 

1567.  Reglas  y  constituciones  de  la  Confradia  de  los  juramentos. 
MEXICO.     Folio  [one  leaf]. 

fl567.  PEDRO  DE  FERIA.  Doctrina  Christiana  en  lengua  Cas 
tellana  y  Capoteca.  MEXICO  :  Pedro  Ocharte.  4to. 

1567.  Instituta  ordinis  Beati  Francisci.  MEXICO.    4to. 
*1567.  BENITO  FERNANDEZ.  Doctrina  en  lengua  Mixteca.  MEX 
ICO.     Pedro  Ocharte.     4to.      Gothic  letter. 

*1568.  BENITO  FERNANDEZ.  Another  edition  of  the  same  work. 
MEXICO.  Pedro  Ocharte,  4to. 

1568.  Manual  para  administrar  los  sacramentos.     MEXICO.    4to. 
f!571.  ALONZO  DE  MOLINA.    Arte  dela  lengua  Mexicana  y  Cas 
tellana.     MEXICO.     Pedro  Ocharte.  12nio.    Gothic  letter. 

f  1571.  ALONZO  DE  MOLINA.  Vocabulario  en  lengua  Mexicana  y 
Castellana.  MEXICO.  Antonio  de  Spinosa.  Folio. 

fl571.  ALONZO  DE  MOLINA.  Vocabulario  en  Castellana  y  Mexi 
cana.  MEXICO.  Antonio  de  Spinosa.  Folio. 

1573.  P.  DE  AGURTO.     Tratado  de  que  se  deben  administrar  los 
sacramentos  a  los  indios.     MEXICO.    8vo. 

*1574.  J.  B.  DE  LAGUNA.  Arte  y  Dictionario  en  lengua  Michoa- 
cana.  MEXICO.  Pedro  Balli.  8vo. 

1574.  Ordenanzas  sobre  alcabalas.     MEXICO.     Folio. 

*1575.  MATURING  GILBERTI.  Tesoro  spiritual  de  pobres  en  len 
gua  de  Michuacan.  MEXICO.  Antonio  de  Spinosa.  8v6. 

*1575.  J.  DE  LA  ANUNCIACION.  Doctrina  Christiana  muy  com- 
plida  (en  Castillana  y  Mexicana).  MEXICO.  Pedro  Balli.  4to. 


APPENDIX.  377 

1575.  S.  J.  E.  BUENAVENTURA.     Misteca  Theologia.     MEXICO. 
8vo. 

f!576.  ALONZODE  MOLINA.    Arte  de  la  lengua  Mexicana  y  Cas- 
tellana.     MEXICO.     Pedro  Balli.     Svo. 

*1576.  M.  DE  VARGAS.  Doctrina  Christiana  en  Castellano, 
Mexicano,  y  Otomi.  MEXICO.  Pedro  Balli.  4to. 

*1577.  J.  MEDINA.  Doctrinalis  fidei  in  Mechuacanensium  indo- 
rum  lingua.  MEXICO.  Ant.  Ricardo.  Folio. 

*1577.  J.  DE  LA  ANUNCIACION.  Sermonario  en  lengua  Mexicana. 
MEXICO.  Antonio  Ricardo.  4to. 

1577.  Commentario  a  la  logica  de  Aristotles.     MEXICO.     Svo. 

1577.  Ovidii  Nasonis  tarn  de  tristibus.     MEXICO.     8vo. 

1577.  Omnia  Domini  Andreae  Alciati  Emblemata.    MEXICO.    8vo. 

*1578.  ALONZO  DE  MOLINA.  Confessionario  Mayor  en  la  lengua 
Mexicana  y  Castellana.  MEXICO.  Pedro  Balli.  4to. 

*1578.  ALONZODE  MOLINA.  Doctrina  Christiana  en  lengua  Mexi 
cana.  MEXICO.  Pedro  Orcharte.  8vo. 

*1578.  J.  DE  CORDOVA.  Arte  en  lengua  Zapoteca.  MEXICO. 
Pedro  Balli.  Svo. 

1579.  Ceremonial  y  rubricas  general  con  la  orden  de  celebrar  las 
mismas.  MEXICO.  Svo. 

1579.  Instruccion  y  arte  para  regular  el  oficio  divino.  MEXICO. 
Svo. 

*1580.  EARTH.  ROLDAN.  Cartillay  doctrina  Christiana  breve,  en 
la  lengua  Chuchona.  MEXICO.  Pedro  Ocharte.  4to. 

*15S2.  J.  DE  G-AONA.  Coloquio  dela  paz  y  tranquilidad,  en  len 
gua  Mexicana.  MEXICO.  Pedro  0  char te.  Svo.  (Ternaux,  No.  155.) 

1583.  GARCIA  DEL  PALACIO.  Dialogos  militares  de  la  formacion 
e  informacion  de  personas,  instrumentos  y  cosas  necessarias  para  el 
uso  de  la  guerra.  MEXICO.  Pedro  Ocharte.  4to. 

1583.  Forma  breve  administrar  ap.  Indios  S.  Baptismi  Sacramen- 
tum.  MEXICO.  Svo. 

*1585.  BERN.  DE  SAHAGUN.  Psalmodia  Xpiana  y  Sermonario  de 
los  Santos  del  ano,  etc.  MEXICO.  Pedro  Ocharte.  4to. 

1585.  Estatutos  general  de  Barcelona.     MEXICO.     4to. 
40 


378          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

1587.  GARCIA  DE  PALACIO.  Instruccion  nautica  para  el  buen  uso 
y  regimiento  de  las  Naos  su  traza  y  gobierno,  conforme  d,  la  altura 
de  Mejico.  MEXICO.  4to.  (Ternaux,  No.  167.) 

1587.  Constitutionesordin.  fratr.  cremit.    S.Aug.  MEXICO.   8vo. 

1589.  Forma  y  modo  de  fundar  las  cofradias  del  cordon  de  S.  Fr. 
MEXICO.  8vo. 

1592.  Ao.  FARFAN.    Tratado  breve  de  Medecina.    MEXICO.    4to. 

1593.  GERONIMODE()RE.    SymboloCatholicoIndiano.    MEXICO. 
(Ternaux,  No.  224.) 

1593.  J.  GUIONA.     Colloquios  en    lengna  Mexicana.    MEXICO. 
(Ternaux,  No.  190.) 

*1593.  ANT.  DE  LOS  REYES.  Arte  en  lengua  Mixteca.  MEXICO. 
Pedro  BallL  8vo.  (Ternaux,  No.  189.) 

*1593.  FRANCISCO  DE  ALVARADO.  Vocabulario  en  lengua  Mis- 
teca.  MEXICO.  Pedro  Balli.  4to. 

1594.  J.  E.}  DE  BUENAVENTURA.    Misteca  Theologia.  MEXICO. 
8vo. 

1595.  Regla  de  los  frailes  menores.     MEXICO.     4to. 

*1595.  ANTONIO  DEL  RINCON.  Arte  de  la  leugua  Mexicana. 
MEXICO.  Pedro  Balli.  8vo.  (ANTONIO.  Bib.  Hispan.  Nova,  torn. 
i,  p.  158.) 

1595.  Fundacion  e  Indulgencias  de  la  orden  de  la  inerced.  MEX 
ICO.  8vo. 

1598.  ANTONIO  DE  RINCON.    Arte  de  la  lengua  Mexicana.    MEX 
ICO.     12mo.,  second  edition      (Ternaux,  No.  225.) 

*1599'.  JUAN  BAPTISTA.  Confessionario  en  lengua  Mexicana  y 
Castellana.  MEXICO  :  en  el  convento  de  SANTIAGO  TLATILULCO. 
Melch.  Orcharte.  2  vols.  in  1. 

1599.  JUAN  BAPTISTA.     Hvehvetlahtolli.     MEXICO.     12mo. 
[This  is  probably  the    work  noticed   by   Ternaux,  No.    253    as 

"  Platicas  morales  de  los  Indies  para  la  doctrina  de  sas  hijos,  en 
lengua  Mexicana  intitulade  huehuetlatolli."  The  copy  described, 
which  is  the  only  one  known,  is  without  the  title  page,  but  on  its 
back  bears  the  date  of  1599.  Bcristain  gives  the  date  of  1G01.] 

1599.  JUAN  BAPTISTA.     Platicas  antiquas  que  en  la  excellentis- 
sima  lengua  Nahuatl  enmendo  y  creceoto.     MEXICO      8vo.     (Ter 
,  No.  234.) 


APPENDIX.  379 

1599.  JUAN  BAPTISTA.  Compendio  en  las  Excelsias,  de  la  Bulla 
de  la  Saacta  Cruzada,  ea  lengua  Mexicana.  MEXICO.  Enrico  Mar 
tinez.  8vo.  (Catalogue  of  Mexican  books  sold  by  Puttick  and 
Siinson.  London,  1869.  No.  151.) 

*1600.  JUAN  BAPTISTA.  Advertencias  para  los  confessores  de 
los  naturales.  MEXICO.  M.  Ocharte.  8vo. 

flGOO.  Relacion  HistoriadadelasExequiasFuneralesde  Felipe  II. 

MEXICO.     Pedro  Balli.     4to. 


As  there  may  be  doubts  of  the  existence  of  some  of  the  books,  the  titles 
of  which  are  given  above,  it  has  been  deemed  best  to  state  where  they 
are  to  be  found,  or  upon  whose  authority  they  have  been  placed  in  this 
list.  Those  marked  thus  *  have  been  seen  by  Seiior  Icazbalceta,  of 
Mexico  and  Dr.  C.  H.  Berendt,  Those  marked  thus  f  are  in  the  collec 
tion  of  Mr.  John  Carter  Brown,  Providence.  The  authorities  for  many  of 
the  others  are  Ternaux,  Rich,  and  others  as  stated ;  the  remaining  are 
taken  from  Mr.  Harrisse's  Bibliotheca  Americana  Velustissima. 


BOOKS  PRINTED  IN  PERU  BEFORE  THE  YEAR  1600. 

1584.  Doctrina  Christiana  (en  Quichua  y  Aymara)  En  la  ciudad 
de  los  Reyes.     (LiMA).     Antonio   Ricardo.     4to.     (BRUNET,  vol. 
IT,  col.  780).     LE  CLERC,  Bib.  Americana,  No.  462. 

1585.  Confessionario  para  los  curas  de  Indies  con  la  instruccion 
contra  sus  ritos  traducido  en  las  lenguas  Quichua  y  Aymara.     LIMA. 
Ant.  Ricardo.     4to. 

f!585.  Tercero  Catechismo  y  exposicion  de  la  Doctrina  Christiana, 
por  Sermones.  Para  los  coras  y  otros  ministros  prediquen  y  ensenen 
a  los  Indies.  En  la  ciudad  de  los  Reyes.  Ant.  Ricardo.  4to. 

1586.  Vocabulario  en  la  lengua  general  del  Peru  y  en  lengua  Es- 
panola.     LIMA.     Small  8vo.     (Ternaux,  No.  164). 

1594.  Ordenanzas  que  mando  hacer  D.  Garcia  Hurtado  de  Men- 
doza,  para  remedio  de  los  excesos  que  los  corregidores  de  los  natu- 


380          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

rales  hacero  entratar  y  contractar  con  los  Indies.  LIMA.  Foio. 
(Ternaux,  No.  192). 

1596.  PEDRO  DE  OnA.  Primera  parte  de  Arauco  domado.  Im- 
preso  en  la  ciudad  de  los  Reyes  por  Ant.  Kicardo  de  Turin.  4to. 
(Ternaux,  No.  201). 

1599.  PEDRO  DE  OnA.  Tremblorde  Lima  del  ano  1599.  Poema. 
LIMA.  (Ternaux,  No.  230). 

f  In  the  library  of  Mr.  John  Carter  Brown,  Providence. 


APPENDIX.  381 

APPENDIX  B. 

[  Page  22.  ] 

JACOB  KITTENHOUSE,  now,  in  1818,  eighty-six  years  of  age,  a 
grandson  of  Nicholas  Eittenhouse  the  first  papermaker  in  British 
America,  is  living.  He  has  been  many  years  blind,  but  possesses  an 
excellent  memory,  which  seems  to  be  unimpaired.  He  received  from 
his  father  and  grandfather  many  interesting  narratives  of  the  settle 
ment  of  Philadelphia  and  Germantown,  and  of  the  first  printers  and 
papermakers  in  those  places. 

He  says  that  William  Bradford,  the  first  printer  in  Philadelphia, 
after  he  left  this  city,  and  settled  in  New  York,  often  visited  Phila 
delphia,  and  that  he  would  sometimes  ride  from  one  of  these  places 
to  the  other  in  a  day.  [The  connected  distance  then  was  one  hun 
dred  miles.]  That  when  his  grandfather  and  a  few  others  settled  in 
Germantown,  there  was  no  gristmill  nearer  than  Chester,  fifteen  miles 
southeast  of  Philadelphia.  There  was  no  horse  in  the  settlement  for 
some  time  afterwards,  when  an  old  horse  was  procured  from  New 
York,  and  this  horse  was  continually  employed  in  carrying  sacks  of 
grain  to  the  mill  at  Chester,  to  be  ground,  and  bringing  it  back 
when  ground.  This  was,  at  the  time,  continued  Mr.  Rittenhouse, 
the  only  horse  for  common  use  either  in  the  Germantown  settlement, 
or  in  Philadelphia.  The  grain  for  those  living  in  Philadelphia,  etc., 
continued  to  be  ground  in  Chester,  until  William  Penn  built  a  grist 
mill  in  Philadelphia,  afterwards  called  the  Globe  mill,  from  a  tavern 
being  erected  near  to  it,  the  site  of  which  is  in  Third  street.  This 
mill  was  used  as  a  gristmill  until  a  short  time  before  the  revolution. 

He  mentions,  among  other  things,  the  following,  which  shows  the 
estimation  in  which  land  was  held  in  the  early  settlement  of  Phila 
delphia,  and  the  difference  between  its  value  then  and  at  the  present 
day.  Glaus,  the  grandfather,  was  something  of  a  carpenter,  as  well  as 
a  papermaker.  He  constructed  a  kind  of  batteau  on  the  paperrnill 
stream,  and  occasionally  descended  with  it  to  the  Schuylkill,  for  the 
purpose  of  fishing  in  its  stream.  A  person  from  Philadelphia  who 


382          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

owned  a  large  tract  of  land  on  the  borders  of  this  river,  was  one  time 
viewing  and  examining  his  possessions,  when  he  espied  Clans  in  his 
boat  fishing.  The  owner  of  the  ground  was  so  much  pleased  with 
the  unexpected  sight  of  a  boat,  the  first  belonging  to  a  white  man 
which  had  been  seen  in  that  stream,  that  he  became  desirous  of 
possessing  it,  and  offered  Glaus,  in  exchange,  a  piece  of  land  border 
ing  on  the  Schuylkill,  of  which  he  described  the  limits,  and  which, 
it  is  said,  contained  about  two  thousand  acres.  Glaus  refused  the 
proffer. 

Jacob  Rittenhouse  also  mentions  that  his  progenitors,  when  they 
first  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  dwelt  in  caves  dug  in  the  banks  of  the 
Delaware,  during  part  of  the  winter  1687-8.  Proud,  in  his  History 
of  Pennsylvania,  mentions  these  caves,  and  observes  that  they  were 
for  many  years  reserved  for  the  habitations  of  new  comers,  who  had 
not  the  means  of  obtaining  other  lodgings. 


APPENDIX.  383 


APPENDIX  C. 

[  Page  42.  ] 

At  a  County  Court  held  at  Cambridge,  April  1,  1656. 

Jn°-  Glover1  Gent.  Plant,  against  Mr.  Henry  Dunster  Deff'-  in 
an  acton  of  the  case  for  an  acct.  of  an  estate  of  houses,  lands,  goods, 
and  chattels,  debts,  legacies,  and  gifts,  or  other  estate,  together  with 
the  deeds,  leases,  and  other  manuscripts,  and  evidences  thereof,  wch 
by  any  manner  of  waves  or  means,  eyther  have  been  (or  at  present 
bee)  in  the  possession  of  the  said  Henry,  or  under  his  rule,  costody 
or  dispose.  And  of  right  due  and  belonging  unto  the  said  Jn°- 
Glover,  by  the  last  will  and  testament  of  his  father  Mr.  Josse  Glover 
deceased,  or  Elizabeth  his  wife,  or  their,  or  eyther  of  their  gifts,  or 
by  the  last  will  of  Wm>  Harris  deceased  or  otherwise  to  him  the 
said  Jn°-  Glover  appteyning  and  of  right  due  and  belonging  by  any 
manner  of  wayes  or  means  whatsoever,  and,  also  for  debteyning  and 
with-holding  the  same,  viz1-  both  the  account  and  estate,  with  the 
effects  and  profits  thereof  and  damages  to  the  said  Jn°-  Glover 
thereby  susteyned. 

The  Plaintiffe  appeared  by  his  attorneyes  Edw.  Goffe,  and  Thomas 
Danforth,  the  deff1-  appeared  personally  and  pleaded  to  the  case, 
The  Court  having  heard  the  Pl't's  demands  and  the  proffe  thereof, 
and  Mr.  Dunster's  acknowledgm'8  and  Answrs  wch  are  upon  file 
with  the  Records  of  this  Court,  the  Jury  findes  for  the  plaintiffe, 
as  appeareth  by  their  verdict  given  into  Court  in  writeing  (wch  is 
also  upon  ye  file)  theis  following  p'ticrs> 

Imp3-      The  Inventory  as  it  is  brought  in  140  00  00 

It.  The  Presse  and  the  p'fitt  of  it  040  00  00 

It.  The  prise  of  Mr.  Dayes  house  030  00  00 

It.  Debts  received  by  Mr.  Dunster  143  00  00 


1  He  studied  medicine,  became  a  practitioner,  married,  and  settled  in 
Boston. 


384          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

It.  More  debts  received  by  Mr.  Dunster  015  00  00 

It.  Reed-  of  Mr.  Humpheries  080  00  00 

It.  The  plate  mentioned  in  the  Inventory  448  00  00 

It.  more  acknowledged  in  the  Court  by  Mr.  Dunster 
one  silver  tankard,  and  one  tipt  Jug,  and  a  silver 
plate. 

It.  one  watch. 
It.  acknowledged  by  Mr.  Dunster  12  Rheam  of  refuse 

paper. 

It.  The  promt  of  the  houses  and  lands  in  Cam 
bridge.  177  10  00 
It.  Given  by  Mr.  Harris  040  00  00 
It.  Household  stuffe  at  Sudbury  005  00  00 
It.  The  house  in  Boston  sould  to  Theodore  Atkinson  200  00  00 
It.  Rent  received  for  the  farme  at  Sudbury  six  years  060  00  00 
It.  the  Rent  of  the  stocke  of  15  Kine  067  10  00 
It.  the  prise  of  eight  steers  and  bulls  and  fiften  kine  118  16  00 
It.  for  the  rent  received  for  the  farme  at  Sudbury 

seaven  yeares  042  00  00 

It.  the  rent  of  meadow  010  00  00 

It.  two  swine  002  00  00 


It.  Lead  pans  722  16  00 

448  00  00 


1170  16  00 

It.  the  farme  that  Robert  Wilson  now  occupieth  to  be  Mr.  Glover's. 
It    all    the  Bookes  of  Mr.    Glover's  that  came    to  Mr.    Dunster, 

whereof  he  promised  to  give  in  a  Cattologue. 

It.  the  farme  that  Goodman  Rice  now  occupieth  to  be  Mr.  Glover's. 

It.  that  Mr.  Dunster  shall  give  to  the  Court,  an  account  according 

to  the  attachm1  when  the  Honoured  Court  shall  require  it. 

Charles  Chadwicke  in  the  name  of  the  rest. 
Execution  granted  June  17,  1656. 

The  Court  orders  that  Mr.  Dunster  shall  bring  in  his  full  account 
to  the  Court  the  9th  of  May  next. 

[Mictd.  Records,  vol.  I,  p.  77,  &c.] 


APPENDIX.  385 

At  a  second  Sessions  of  the  County  Court  held  at  Cambridge,  9th 
(3)  mo.  1656. 

In  the  case  between  Jn'"  Glover  Plant,  against  Mr.  Henry  Dun- 
ster  Defft-  entered  at  the  last  sessions  of  this  Court,  Mr.  Henry 
Dunster  presented  his  answ  to  the  Juries  verdict  in  writeing,  con 
taining  his  account  under  his  hand,  also  a  Cattologue  of  the  bookes. 
with  some  other  testimonies  in  refference  to  the  case,  all  w~';i  are  upon 
file  with  the  Reccords  of  the  last  Court,  whereupon  the  Plaintiffe 
not  being  sattisfied  with  the  accounts  presented,  The  Court  advised 
both  parties  to  endeavour  a  peaceable  composure  of  the  whole  buis- 
sines,  eyther  between  themselves  or  by  able  men  Indifferently  chosen 
between  them.  \_Midd.  Records,  vol.  I,  p.  83.] 

At  a  County  Court  held  at  Charles-Towne  June  19,  1656. 

Mr.  Henry  Dunster  PI.  against  Mr.  Jn°-  Glover  Defft.  in  an  action 
of  Review  of  the  suite  upon  attachm1-  to  the  vallue  of  two  thousand 
pounds  comenced  and  prosecuted  in  the  last  County  Court  holden  at 
Cambridge,  by  the  said  Jn°-  or  his  attorneyes  for  accounts  and  estate 
pretended  to  be  with-held  by  the  said  Henry  from  the  said  Jn°-  As 
also  for  the  auditing  the  accounts,  according  to  the  advice  of  the 
Honoured  Magistrates,  and  for  the  ballancing,  setling  and  satisfying 
what  upon  the  said  Accounts  is  right  and  just  to  be  done,  according 
to  attachint  dated  12th  4th  mo.  1656. 
The  Jury  found  a  non  liquet.  \_Midd.  Records,  vol.  I,  p.  83.] 

At  a  County  Court  held  at  Cambridge,  by  adjournment,  June  24th, 

1656. 

Mr.  Henry  Dunster  [sometimes  husband  to  Elizabeth  the  relict 
widow  of  Josse  Glover  deceased]  Plant.  ag'-  Jn°-  Glover  Gent.  Deff1- 
In  an  action  of  the  case  for  debt  upon  accounts,  and  for  rights  and 
interests  in  any  wise  appertayneing  to  the  said  Henry  from  the  estate 
now  claimed  by  the  said  Jn°-  Glover  by  vertue  of  the  last  will  of  his 
father  Josse  Glover  deceased. 

The  Plaintive  and  Deff1-  appearing  in  Court  legally,  They  mutually 
agreed  to  referre  this  case  to  the  Hearing  and  determination  of  the 
41 


386          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

honoured  Bench  of  Magistrates.  The  Courts  determination  and 
judgm1  in  the  said  case  is  as  followeth. 

Whereas  there  hath  been  some  actions  and  suites  of  debt,  account, 
and  review,  in  this  Court,  between  Jn°-  Glover  Gent.  And  Henry 
Dunster  his  father  in  Law  and  Guardian,  concerning  the  estate,  under 
the  managem1'  belonging  to  the  said  John  Glover  by  the  will  of 
his  father  Josse  Glover  deceased,  The  premises  considered,  and  the 
parties  consenting  to  issue  the  whole  case,  included  in  the  former 
actions,  and  judgmts  to  the  determination  of  this  Court.  The  Court 
having  taken  paynes  to  examine  all  matters  explicitly  in  refference 
to  the  whole  case,  doe  find  the  estate  of  Josse  Glover  is  Creditor, 
One  thousand  foure  hundred  forty  and  seaven  pounds,  nine  shillings 
and  nine  pence,  and  a  silver  tankard  in  kinde,  also  Mr.  Glover's 
bookes  according  to  Cattologue  given  in  to  the  Court,  to  be  delivered 
in  kinde,  also  the  price  of  a  house  at  Hingham  that  was  received  of 
Payntree  at  fifteen  pounds. 

And  the  estate,  is  also  justly  debtor,  one  thousand  thre  hundred 
and  thirty  pounds,  one  shilling  and  seven  pence,  the  particulars 
whereof  are  expressed  in  an  account  hereunto  annexed. 

The  Court  therefore  do  find  for  John  Glover,  one  hundred  and 
seventen  pounds,  eight  shillings  and  two  pence,  due  from  Henry 
Dunster,  according  to  the  account,  leaving  some  debts  explicitly 
expressed  in  the  account  to  the  vallue  of  fifty  seaven  pounds  eleven 
shillings  foure  pence  to  be  further  cleared  by  the  said  Henry  before 
any  credit  be  given  for  him  it. 

Also  we  find  for  Mr.  Henry  Dunster  the  lands  in  Sudbury  bounds, 
purchased  by  the  said  Henry  called  the  farme  now  in  the  occupation 
of  Wilson. 

165G.  June  25.  The  Account  in  refference  to  the  aforenamed 
case,  being  drawn  up  and  examined  by  the  Honoured  Court  is  as 
followeth. 

Mr.  Henry  Dunster  is  debitor  £.  s.     d. 

Imp-5-  To  plate  030  12  03 

To  a  tipt  Jugg  and  a  watch  OOG  0(3  06 

To  rents  of  land  in  Gambia  whiles  in  Blower's  hands  040  00  00 

To  rents  recd  of  John  Stedman  for  ditto  070  00  00 

To  rent  of  ditto  recd  of  Richard  French  012  00  00 


APPENDIX.  387 

£.    s.    d. 

To  rent  recd  for  marsh  land  all  the  time  015  15  00 

To  rent  of  the  slate  house  all  the  time  019  14  04 

To  the  house  and  land  at  Boston  sold  Mr.  Atkinson  214  00  00 

To  a  Legacy  given  Jn°-  Glover  by  his  Uncle  Harris  040  00  00 

To  utensils  at  Sudbury  five  pounds  005  00  00 

To  rent  of  fourten  Cowes  six  yeares,  at  15s  pr.  cow  063  00  00 

To  rent  of  seaven  oxen  6  yeares  at  20s  pr.  ox  042  00  00 

To  the  stocke  fourten  cowes  and  seven  oxen  118  16  00 

To  rent  for  meadow  010  00  00 

To  two  swine  002  00  00 

To  one  lead  pan  sould  for  001  02  06 

To  sale  of  Bookes  026  10  00 

To  so  much  recd  of  Mr.  Tho*  Fowle  099  11  04 

To  rents  from  Boston  and  Cambridge  049  06  08 

To  advance  upon  the  Inventory  020  00  00 

To  advance  upon  plate  002  17  06 
To  so  much  disbursed  in  building  and  other  things 

upon  Henry  Dunster's  land  in  Sudbury  bounds  050  00  00 

To  the  Inventory  in  Goodes  140  00  00 

To  printing  presse  and  paper  050  00  00 

To  Mr.  Dayes  house  sold  for  030  00  00 
To  debts  recd  of  severall  persons  £73  and  of  Peacock 

and  Sill  £8.  081  00  00 

To  so  much  received  of  Mr.  Humphery  071  04  09 
To  plate  and  other  things  that  I  had  vies  et  modies, 

gift  of  my  wife,  not  vallued  0731611 

To  plate  and  bedding  for  Mr.  Harris  and  Simon  Smith  025  00  00 

To  paper  — 16  Rheams.  002  00  11 

To  2  oxen  and  one  cow  killed  for  the  family  020  00  00 
To  profits  of  stocke  and  crop  the  first  yeare  of  his 

marriage  with  Mrs.  Glover,  not  yet  accounted  for, 

abating  for  Servants  wages  and  diet  015  00  00 

1447  09  09 

To  a  silver  tankard  in  kind. 

To  all  Mr.  Glover's  bookes  unsold,  to  be  delivered  ac 
cording  to  Cattologue. 


388         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

To  a  house  at  Ilingham  of  Panteryes,  the  value  to  be 

made  good 
Mr.  Henry  Dunster  creditor. 

Imp8-  By  lands  in  Sudbury  bounds  purchased  by  the 
said  Dunster,  called  the  farme  now  in  the  occupa 
tion  of  Wilson,  found  in  kind  to  belong  to  the 
Plantiffe 

By  the  diet,  apparell  and  education  of  Roger  and  Jn°- 

Glover  two  yeares  two  m°-  after  their  mother's  mar-      £.     s.     d. 
iage  with  the  said  Dunster  till  her  death  at  £20.     086  OG  08 

By  disbursem18  for  the  maintenance  of  Mrs.  Glover  for 
diet  and  apparrell  in  sicklies  and  health  two  yeares 
and  two  months,  after  her  marriage  with  Mr.  Dun 
ster,  until  her  death,  with  a  mayd  to  attend  her  at 
£30  pr.  annum  OG5  00  00 

By  a  bill  for  physicke  payd  Mr.  Ayres  015  00  00 

By  funerall  charges  expended  for  Mrs.  Glover  010  00  00 

By  disbursements  for  the  diet  and  app'1  of  Mrs.  Eliza> 
Glover  7  m°-  with  her  marriage  feast1,  being  mar 
ried  to  Mr.  Adam  Winthrop  030  00  00 

By  diet  and  apparrall  for  Mrs.  Sarah  and  Mrs.  Priscilla 
Glover,  during  their  mother's  life,  being  two  yeares 
2  m°-  a  peece  at  £16  pr.  annum  069  06  08 

By  diet  and  expences  of  Mr.  Richard  Harris  two  years 
and  two  monthes,  it  being  due  from  the  estate  to 
him  for  the  interest  of  £250.  of  his  in  the  estate 
at  £20  pr.  annum  043  03  04 

By  maintenance  of  the  children  after  the  death  of  their 
mother,  viz. 

By  Jn°-  Glover's  liberall  education  for  diet,  apparell 
and  schooleing  mostly  at  the  Colledge  for  seven 
years  and  two  months  at  £20  pr.  anm<  143  03  04 


1  The  three  Miss  Glovers  (not  Mrs.),  viz.  Elizabeth,  and  Sarah  and 
Priscilla  Glover,  mentioned  in  the  next  article  of  charge,  were  the  three 
daughters  of  Mr.  Jesse,  or  Josse  Glover  deceased.  Priscilla  married  John 
Applcton,  who  also  commenced  in  1G55,  an  action  against  Dunster  for 
1001.  left  to  his  wife  by  her  father,  and  detained  by  Dunster,  which  sum 
Appleton  recovered. 


APPENDIX.  389 

By  diet,  apparrell  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Glover  five  years  at      £.     s.     d. 
sixteen  pounds  pr<  annum  080  00  00 

By  so  much  recovered  out  of  the  estate  by  Mr.  Apple- 
ton,  for  his  wife  Mrs.  Priscilla  Glover,  her  mainte 
nance  after  her  mother's  death,  and  before 
marriage  with  him  088  00  00 

By  so  much  paid  for  extraordinary  expences  by  Mr.  Jn°- 

Glover,  as  by  note  of  particulars  006  15  00 

By  charges  disbursed  concerning  nine  arbitrations,  and 

p'1-  for  writeings  to  scriven1'5  &c.,  £2  in  all  007  00  00 

'By  debts  paid  by  Mr.  Dunster  which  were  due  from 

the  estate,  in  Mr.  Josse  Glover's  life  time  334  12  00 

By  debts  made  by  Mrs.  Glover  in  the  time  of  her  wi 
dowhood,  payd  by  Mr.  Dunster  clerely  proved  183  15  09 

By  losses  and  damages  befalling  the  estate  at  Sudbury, 
payd  for  fencing  on  John  Glover's  farme  at  Sud 
bury  034  19  03 

By  expences,    rates   and   suites   concerning   lands  at 

Cambrge-  045  19  04 

By  disbursemt8-  for  reparations  of  the  house  at  Cam 
bridge  in  Mrs.  Glover's  life  016  04  00 

By  repaires  of  the  said  house  after  her  death  016  01  04 

By  cattle  added  to  the  estate,  viz1,  three  cowes,  one  calf, 

2  oxen  at  031  16  11 

By  rates  payd  to  the  meeting  house  002  00  06 

1309  03  07 

By  so  much  payd  to  Mr.  Haris  for  redeeming  a  tank 
ard,  and  a  porringer  of  silver,  payd  him  in  part  of 
his  debt  005  18  00 


1315  01  07 


1  To  Mr.  Harris  0250  00  00 

To  Mr.  Turner  0076  12  00 

To  Cotton  Slacke  0008  00  00 


0334  12  00 


390         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

By  account  of  some  debts  contracted  by  Mrs.  Glover  in 

her  widowhood,  wch  Mr.  Dunster  alleadgeth  he 

hath  payd ;   not  allowed  at  present  for  want  of 

cleare  proof  vizt.  £.     s.     d. 

By  Mr.  King  of  Lex.  06  12  04 

By  so  much  to  Mr.  Morecroft  25  00  00 

By  so  much  to  Skidmore  Smith  08  00  00 

By  so  much  to  Mr.  Harris  12  19  00 

By  so  much  pd.  Major  Bourne  05  00  00 

57  11  04 
By  so  much  pd-  to  Capt.  Kaine  being  a  debt  due  before 

marriage  as  appears  by  bill  0015  00  00 

1330  01  07 

Mr.  Bellingham  declared  his  dissent  from  this  account  and  de 
parted  out  of  Court  before  the  Court's  determination  and  judgnit. 
was  drawne  up.  [Midd.  Records,  vol.  I.  p.  87,  &c.] 


APPENDIX.  391 


APPENDIX  D. 

[  Page  49.  ] 

The  author  of  Wonder  Working  Providence,  page  205,  gives  the 
following  account  of  this  edition  of  the  laws.  "  This  year  [1646] 
the  General  Court  appointed  a  Committee  of  diverse  persons  to  draw 
up  a  body  of  Laws  for  the  well  ordering  this  little  Commonwealth ; 
and  to  the  end  that  they  might  be  most  agreeable  with  the  rule  of 
Scripture,  in  every  County  there  were  appointed  two  Magistrates, 
two  Ministers,  and  two  able  persons  from  among  the  people,  who 
having  provided  such  a  competent  number  as  was  meet,  together 
with  the  former  that  were  enacted  newly  amended,  they  presented 
them  to  the  General  Court,  where  they  were  again  perused  and 
amended ;  and  then  another  Committee  chosen  to  bring  them  into 
form,  and  present  them  to  the  Court  again,  who  the  year  following 
passed  an  act  of  confirmation  upon  them,  and  so  committed  them  to 
the  press,  and  in  the  year  1648,  they  were  printed,  and  now  are  to 
be  seen  of  all  men,  to  the  end  that  none  may  plead  ignorance,  and 
that  all  who  intend  to  transport  themselves  hither  may  know  that 
this  is  no  place  of  licentious  liberty,  nor  will  this  people  suffer  any 
to  trample  down  this  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  but  with  diligent  exe 
cution  will  cut  off  from  the  city  of  the  Lord,  the  wicked  doers, 
and  if  any  man  can  show  wherein  any  of  them  derogate  from  the 
word  of  God,  very  willingly  will  they  accept  thereof,  and  amend 
their  imperfection  (the  Lord  assisting),  but  let  not  any  ill  affected 
person  find  fault  with  them,  because  they  suit  not  with  their  own 
humour,  or  because  they  meddle  with  matters  of  religion,  for  it  is  no 
wrong  to  any  man,  that  a  people  who  have  spent  their  estates,  many 
of  them,  and  ventured  their  lives  for  to  keep  faith  and  a  pure  con 
science,  to  use  all  means  that  the  word  of  God  allows  for  mainte 
nance  and  continuance  of  the  same,  especially  they  have  taken  up 
a  desolate  wilderness  to  be  their  habitation,  and  not  deluded  any  by 
keeping  their  profession  in  huggermug,  but  print  and  proclaim  to  all 
the  way  and  course  they  intend,  God  willing,  to  walk  in.  Tf  any  will 


392          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

yet  notwithstanding  seek  to  justle  them  out  of  their  own  right,  let 
them  not  wonder  if  they  meet  with  all  the  opposition  a  people  put  to 
their  greatest  straits  can  make,  as  in  all  their  undertaking  their 
chiefest  aim  hath  been  to  promote  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  so  also 
in  contriving  their  Laws,  Liberties  and  Privileges,  they  have  not 
been  wanting,  which  hath  caused  many  to  malign  their  civil  govern 
ment,  and  more  especially  for  punishing  any  by  law,  that  walk  con 
trary  to  the  rule  of  the  gospel  which  they  profess,  but  to  them  it 
seems  unreasonable,  and  savours  too  much  of  hypocrisie,  that  any 
people  should  pray  unto  the  Lord  for  the  speedy  accomplishment  of 
his  word  in  the  overthrow  of  Antichrist,  and  in  the  mean  time  be 
come  a  patron  to  sinful  opinions  and  damnable  errors  that  oppose  the 
truths  of  Christ,  admit  it  be  but  in  the  bare  permission  of  them." 
See  in  this  connection  "  Remarks  on  the  Early  Laws  of  Massachu 
setts  Bay;  with  the  Code  adopted  in  1641,  and  called  THE  BODY 
OF  LIBERTIES,  now  first  printed.  By  F.  C.  Gray,  LL.D." 

Mass.  Hist.  Coll.,  3d  se.,  vm,  p.  192. 


APPENDIX.  393 

APPENDIX  E. 

[  Pages  66,  67.  ] 

The  New  Testament  was  translated  into  the  Indian  language  by 
the  Rev.  John  Eliot,  then  pastor  of  the  church  in  Roxburj.  Mr. 
Eliot  was  called  the  Apostle  of  the  Indians,  and  he  truly  was  so. 
He  also  translated  the  Old  Testament  into  their  language,  and  gave 
them  a  version  of  the  Psalms.  They  were  all  completed  at  the  press 
in  1663,  and  were  bound  together.  The  Rev.  Cotton  Mather,  in  his 
Magnolia,  mentions  that  Mr.  Eliot  wrote  the  whole  of  this  great 
work  with  one  pen  ;  if  so,  we  may  presume  that  his  pen  was  not  made 
of  a  goose  quill,  but  of  metal.1  After  Mr.  Eliot  had  acquired  the 
Indian  language,  he  taught  English  to  the  Indians,  and  made  an 
Indian  Grammar.  He  went  among  them  and  preached  the  gospel, 
instituted  schools,  and  formed  churches.  The  colonies  of  Massachu 
setts,  Plymouth,  Connecticut  and  New  Haven,2  in  1643,  entered  into 
articles  of  confederation  for  their  mutual  safety  and  support.  Each 
colony  was  annually  to  choose  two  commissioners,  who  were  to  meet 
yearly  and  alternately  in  the  several  colonies.  These  commissioners 
had  the  power  to  manage  all  concerns,  in  which  the  colonies  were 
generally  interested ;  comprising  those  of  war  as  well  as  peace,  and 
each  colony  retained  the  direction  of  its  own  internal  policy.  The 
commissioners  were  chosen  by  the  general  court,  or  assembly  of  the 
respective  colonies,  and  were  called  the  Commissioners  of  the  United 
Colonies;  to  this  office,  men  of  the  most  respectable  talents  were 
elected,  and,  not  unfrequently,  the  governors  of  the  colonies. 

By  the  agency  of  Massachusetts,  a  society  had  been  formed  in 
London,  for  propagating  the  Gospel  among  the  Indians  in  New  Eng 
land.  Some  time  after  the  confederation  of  the  colonies  took  place, 


1 1  have  been  informed  that  Edward  Gibbon,  the  celebrated  author  of 
the  Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,  wrote  the  volumes  of  which 
that  work  consists  with  one  pen  ;  which,  at  her  request,  he  presented  to  the 
beautiful  Duchess  of  Devonshire,  and  it  was  by  her  preserved  in  a  golden 
shrine. 

2  New  Haven  was  at  that  time,  a  distinct  colony  from  Connecticut. 

42 


394          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

the  society  in  England  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  was  incorporated 
by  act  of  Parliament ;  by  which  act,  the  commissioners  of  the  United 
Colonies  were  appointed  the  agents  of  the  society,  to  manage  its  con 
cerns,  and  to  dispose  of  the  property  which  might  be  forwarded  to 
America,  in  such  manner  as  might  promote,  in  the  most  useful  de 
gree,  the  design  of  the  institution.  In  time,  the  funds  of  the  Corpo 
ration  l  enabled  them  to  send  missionaries  among  the  Indians,  to 
instruct  them  in  the  Christian  faith,  and  to  build  a  number  of  small 
meeting  houses,  in  which  the  Christianized  Indians  might  assemble 
for  public  worship.  An  addition  was  made  to  the  college  at  the  ex 
pense  of  the  corporation,  to  make  room  for  the  education  of  Indian 
youth.  Several  small  books  were  written,  and  others  translated  into 
the  Indian  language  ;  and,  eventually,  the  design  was  conceived  of 
translating  the  whole  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  into  Indian,  and  to  print 
the  translation.  For  this  great  undertaking  the  corporation  supplied 
the  means,  and  the  commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies  attended 
to  its  execution. 

Before  the  New  Testament  was  finished  at  the  press,  the  corpora 
tion  in  England  was,  at  the  restoration  of  King  Charles  II,  for  some 
reason,  deprived  of  their  charter  ;  but  after  some  time  it  was  restored 
and  confirmed  by  the  king.2  Before  the  charter  was  restored,  the 


1  The  society  in  England  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  among  the  Indians 
was  so  called.     It  was  incorporated  in  1649. 

2  After  the  charter  was  restored,  the  corporation  sent  over  to  the  com 
missioners  l)y  their  request,  as  a  remittance  toward  printing  the  Bible, 
and  in  other  ways  promoting  the  propagation  of  the  gospel,  a  quantity  of 
pieces  of  eight,  to  be  recoined  here ;  which  is  taken  notice  of  in  the  fol 
lowing  manner  in  a  letter  from  the  corporation  to  the  commissioners : 
"  We  have  thought  good  in  pursuance  of  the  trust  committed  to  vs  and 
for  the  Improvement  of  that  little  wee  have  to  send  you  oner  433  peeces  of 
eight,  which  costs  vs  one  hundred  pounds  heer,  hauing  obtained  this  pri- 
viledge  in  our  Charter  that  what  wee  shall  send  ouer  shal  be  without  any 
charge  or  custom  pay'd  for  the  same,  and  that  the  coyning  thereof  into 
youer  coyne,  and  according  to  youer  standard  will  make  a  considerable 
adiumce  for  your  supply,"  &c. 

The  commissioners,  September  18,  1663,  in  answer  to  the  corporation 
observe,  "  Youer  honores  accepting  our  bill  of  fine  hundred  pounds,  and 
sending  ouer  a  supply  of  an  hundred  pounds  in  peeces  of  eight  wee  hum 
bly  acknowledge,  and  hauc  Improued  the  said  peeces  to  the  vttermost  wee 
could,  whereof  by  minting  or  otherwise  is  1171b.  Os.  07d.  by  which  youer 
honores  may  see  what  aduance  there  may  be  made  to  the  stocke  by  send 
ing  of  such  pieces."  —  Records  of  the  United  Colonies. 


APPENDIX.  395 

New  Testament  was  completed,  and  the  commissioners  here,  and  the 
late  members  of  the  corporation  in  England,  judged  it  good  policy 
to  present  to  the  king  one  of  the  first  copies  of  this  work ;  and  to 
make  it  acceptable  to  his  majesty,  a  dedication  was  written,  printed 
and  prefixed  to  the  few  copies  of  the  Testament  which  were  sent  to 
England.  This  measure  had  the  effect  desired,  and  the  king  became 
interested  in  the  restoration  of  the  charter.  The  copy  for  the  king 
and  nineteen  copies  more  were  forwarded  in  sheets  to  the  members 
of  the  late  corporation  in  England,  with  a  letter  from  the  commis 
sioners  of  the  United  Colonies,  an  extract  from  which  as  recorded, 
follows,  viz : 

"  The  New  Testament  is  alreddy  finished,  and  of  all  the  old  the 
five  bookes  of  Moses  ;  wee  have  heerwith  sent  you  20  peeces  [copies] 
of  the  New  Testament  which  wee  desire  may  bee  thus  disposed  viz : 
that  two  of  the  speciall  being  uery  well  bound  vp  the  one  may  bee 
presented  to  his  Majestie  in  the  first  place,  the  other  to  the  Lord 
Chancellor;  and  that  five  more  be  presented  to  Doctor  Reynolds  Mr. 
Carrill  Mr.  Baxter  and  the  two  vischancellors  of  the  Vniuersities 
whoe  wee  vnderstand  have  greatly  Incurraged  the  worke;  the  rest 
to  bee  disposed  of  as  you  shall  see  cause." 

The  dedication  is  recorded  among  the  proceedings  of  the  commis 
sioners  of  the  United  Colonies,  and  is  there  prefaced  in  the  following 
manner. 

"  Vpon  the  enformation  of  the  Desolution  of  the  Corporation,  and 
intimation  of  hopes  that  his  Majestie  would  [renew  and]  confeirme 
the  same,  &c.  The  Commissioners  thought  meet  to  present  his 
Majestie  with  the  New  Testament  printed  in  the  Indian  language 
with  these  presents  following,"  &c. 

The  dedication  as  printed  in  the  few  copies  of  the  Testament  sent 
to  England,  is  in  the  following  words. 

"  To  the  High  and  Mighty  Prince,  Charles  the  Second,  ~by  the  Grace 
of  God,  King  of  England,  Scotland,  France  and  Ireland,  De 
fender  of  the  Faith,  &c. 

"The  Commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies  in  New  England,  wish 
increase  of  all  happiness,  &c. 

"  Most  Dread  Soveraign, 

"  If  our  weak  apprehensions  have  not  misled  us,  this  Work  will  be 
110  unacceptable  Present  to  Your  Majesty,  as  having  a  greater  In- 


396          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

terest  therein,  than  we  believe  is  generally  understood  :  which  (upon 
this  Occasion)  we  conceive  it  our  Duty  to  declare. 

"  The  People  of  these  four  Colonies  (Confederated  for  Mutual 
Defence,  in  the  time  of  the  late  Distractions  of  our  dear  Native 
Country)  Your  Majesties  natural  born  Subjects,  by  the  Favour  and 
Grant  of  Your  Royal  Father  and  Grandfather  of  Famous  Memory, 
put  themselves  upon  this  great  and  hazardous  Undertaking,  of  Plant 
ing  themselves  at  their  own  Charge  in  these  remote  ends  of  the 
Earth,  that  without  offence  or  provocation  to  our  dear  Brethren 
and  Countrymen,  we  might  enjoy  that  liberty  to  Worship  God, 
which  our  own  Consciences  informed  us,  was  not  onely  our  Right, 
but  Duty  :  As  also  that  we  might  (if  it  so  pleased  God)  be  instru 
mental  to  spread  the  light  of  the  Gospel,  the  knowledg  of  the  Son 
of  God  our  Saviour,  to  the  poor  barbarous  Heathen,  which  by  His 
late  Majesty,  in  some  of  our  Patents,  is  declared  to  be  His  principal 
aim. 

"  These  honest  and  Pious  Intentions,  have,  through  the  grace 
and  goodness  of  God  and  our  Kings,  been  seconded  with  proportion 
able  success  :  for,  omitting  the  Immunities  indulged  us  by  Your  High 
ness  Royal  Predecessors,  we  have  been  greatly  encouraged  by  Your 
Majesties  gracious  expressions  of  Favour  and  Approbation  signified, 
unto  the  Address  made  by  the  principal  of  our  Colonies,  to  which 
the  rest  do  most  cordially  Subscribe,  though  wanting  the  like  season 
able  opportunity,  they  have  been  (till  now)  deprived  of  the  means 
to  Congratulate  Your  Majesties  happy  Restitution,  after  Your  long 
suffering,  which  we  implore  may  yet  be  graciously  accepted,  that 
we  may  be  equal  partakers  of  Your  Royal  Favour  and  Moderation  ; 
which  hath  been  so  Illustrious  that  (to  admiration)  the  animosities 
and  different  Perswasions  of  men  have  been  so  soon  Composed,  and 
so  much  cause  of  hope,  that  (unless  the  signs  of  the  nation  prevent) 
a  blessed  calm  will  succeed  the  late  horrid  Confusions  of  Church 
and  State.  And  shall  not  we  (Dread  Soveraign)  your  Subjects 
of  these  Colonies,  of  the  same  Faith  and  Belief  in  all  Points  of 
Doctrine  with  our  Countrymen,  and  the  other  Reformed  Churches, 
(though  perhaps  not  alike  perswaded  in  some  matters  of  Order, 
which  in  outward  respects  hath  been  unhappy  for  us)  promise  and 


APPENDIX.  397 

assure  ourselves  of  all  just  favour  and  indulgence  from  a  Prince  so 
happily  and  graciously  endowed  ? 

"  The  other  part  of  our  Errand  hither,  hath  been  attended  with 
Endevours  and  Blessing ;  many  of  the  wilde  Indians  being  taught, 
and  understanding  the  Doctrine  of  the  Christian  Religion,  and  with 
much  affection  attending  such  Preachers  as  are  sent  to  teach  them, 
many  of  their  Children  are  instructed  to  Write  and  Reade,  and  some 
of  them  have  proceeded  further,  to  attain  the  knowledge  of  the 
Latiue  and  Greek  Tongues,  and  are  brought  up  with  our  English 
youth  in  University-learning  :  There  are  divers  of  them  that  can  and 
do  reade  some  parts  of  the  Scripture,  and  some  Catechisms,  which 
formerly  have  been  Translated  into  their  own  Language,  which  hath 
occasioned  the  undertaking  of  a  greater  Work,  viz  :  The  Printing 
of  the  whole  Bible,  which  (being  Translated  by  a  painful  Labourer 
amongst  them,  who  was  desirous  to  see  the  Work  accomplished  in 
his  dayes)  hath  already  proceeded  to  the  finishing  of  the  New  Testa 
ment,  which  we  here  humbly  present  to  Your  Majesty,  as  the  first 
fruits  and  accomplishment  of  the  Pious  Design  of  your  Royal  Ances 
tors.  The  Old  Testament  is  now  under  the  Press,  wanting  and 
craving  your  Royal  Favour  and  Assistance  for  the  perfecting  thereof. 

"  We  may  not  conceal,  that  though  this  Work  hath  been  begun 
and  prosecuted  by  such  Instruments  as  God  hath  raised  up  here, 
yet  the  chief  Charge  and  Cost,  which  hath  supported  and  carried  it 
thus  far,  hath  been  from  the  Charity  and  Piety  of  divers  of  our  well- 
affected  Countrymen  in  England  ;  who  being  sensible  of  our  inability 
in  that  respect,  and  studious  to  promote  so  good  a  Work,  contributed 
large  Sums  of  Money,  which  were  to  be  improved  according  to  the 
Direction  and  Order  of  the  then-prevailing  Powers,  which  hath  been 
faithfully  and  religiously  attended  both  there  and  here,  according  to 
the  pious  intentions  of  the  Benefactors.  And  we  do  most  humbly 
beseech  your  Majesty,  that  a  matter  of  so  much  Devotion  and  Piety, 
tending  so  much  to  the  Honour  of  God,  may  suffer  no  disappoint 
ment  through  any  Legal  defect  (without  the  fault  of  the  Donors,  or 
the  poor  Indians,  who  onely  receive  the  benefit)  but  that  your  Majesty 
be  graciously  pleased  to  Establish  and  Confirm  the  same,  being  con 
trived  and  done  (as  we  conceive)  in  the  first  year  of  your  Majesties 


398         HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

Reign,  as  this  Book  was  begun  and  now  finished  in  the  first  year  of 
your  Establishment ;  which  doth  not  onely  presage  the  happy  success 
of  your  Highness  Government,  but  will  be  a  perpetual  monument, 
that  by  your  Majesties  Favour  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  was  first  made  known  to  the  Indians :  An  Honour 
whereof  (we  are  assured)  your  Majesty  will  not  a  little  esteem. 

"  Sir,  The  shines  of  Your  Royal  Favour  upon  these  Vndertakings, 
will  make  these  tender  Plants  to  flourish,  notwithstanding  any  malevo 
lent  Aspect  from  those  that  Lear  evil  will  to  this  Sion,  and  render 
Your  Majesty  more  Illustrious  and  Glorious  to  after  Generations. 

"The  God  of  Ileaven  long  preserve  and  llcss  Your  Majesty  with 
many  happy  Dayes,  to  his  Glory,  the  good  and  comfort  of  his 
Church  and  People.  Amen/' 

In  16G3,  when  the  whole  Bible,  and  a  version  of  the  New  England 
Psalms,  translated  into  the  language  of  the  aborigines  of  New  England, 
were  completed  from  the  press,  a  copy,  elegantly  bound,  was  pre 
sented  to  the  king  with  another  address,  or  dedication.  This  address, 
and  that  presented  to  his  majesty  with  the  New  Testament,  were 
printed  together  and  prefixed  to  those  complete  copies  of  the  whole 
work,  which  were  sent  to  England  as  presents.  Few  of  the  copies 
which  were  circulated  in  this  country  contained  those  addresses.  I 
recollect  to  have  seen,  many  years  since,  a  copy  that  contained  them , 
that  which  I  possess  is  without  them,  as  are  all  others  which  I  have 
lately  examined.  The  Rev.  Thaddeus  M.  Harris,  some  time  since, 
fortunately  discovered  in  a  barber's  shop,  a  mutilated  copy  of  the 
Indian  Bible,  which  the  barber  was  using  for  waste  paper.  In  this 
copy  the  addresses  to  King  Charles  are  entire.  He  transcribed  the 
addresses,  and  afterward  published  them  in  vol.  vii  of  the  Collections 
of  the  Historical  Society.  I  have  extracted  them  from  that  volume, 
finding  them  exactly  to  agree  with  the  copies  on  the  Records  of  the 
Commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies,  in  every  thing  but  the  spell 
ing,  which  on  the  records  is  in  a  mode  more  obsolete  and  incorrect, 
but  doubtless  conformable  to  the  originals,  which  we  may  well  suppose 
were  carefully  corrected  before  they  were  printed  and  prefixed  to  the 
Bible. 


APPENDIX.  399 

The  Second  Address,  or  Dedication,  is  as  follows  : 

11  To  the  High  and  Mighty  Prince,  Charles  the  Second,  by  the  Grace 
of  God,  King  of  England,  Scotland,  France  and  Ireland,  De 
fender  of  the  Faith,  &c. 

"  The  Commissioners  of  the  United  Colonies  in  New-England,  wish 
all  happiness,  &c. 

"  Most  Dread  Soveraign, 

"  As  our  former  Presentation  of  the  New  Testament  was  Graciously 
Accepted  by  Your  Majesty;  so  with  all  Humble  Thankfulness  for 
that  Royal  Favour,  and  with  the  like  hope,  We  are  bold  now  to 
Present  the  WHOLE  BIBLE,  Translated  into  the  Language  of 
the  Natives  of  this  Country,  by  A  Painful  Labourer  in  that  Work, 
and  now  Printed  and  Finished,  by  means  of  the  Pious  Beneficence 
of  Your  Majesties  Subjects  in  England:  which  also  by  Your 
Special  Favour  hath  been  Continued  and  Confirmed  to  the  intended 
Use  and  Advancement  of  so  Great  and  Good  a  "Work,  as  is  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  to  these  poor  Barbarians  in  this  (Ere- 
while)  Unknown  World. 

Translations  of  Holy  Scripture,  The  Word  of  the  King  of  Kings, 
have  ever  been  deemed  not  unworthy  of  the  most  Princely  Dedica 
tions  :  Examples  whereof  are  extant  in  divers  Languages.  But 
Your  Majesty  is  the  First  that  hath  Received  one  in  this  Language, 
or  from  this  American  World,  or  from  any  Parts  so  Remote  from 
Europe  as  these  are,  for  ought  that  ever  we  heard  of 

"  Publications  also  of  these  Sacred  Writings  to  the  Sons  of  Men 
(who  here,  and  here  onely,  have  the  Mysteries  of  their  Eternal  Sal 
vation  revealed  to  them  by  the  God  of  Heaven)  is  a  Work  that  the 
Greatest  Princes  have  Honoured  themselves  by.  But  to  Publish 
and  Communicate  the  same  to  a  Lost  People,  as  remote  from  Know 
ledge  and  Civility,  much  more  from  Christianity,  as  they  were  from 
all  Knowing,  Civil  and  Christian  Nations;  a  People  without  Law, 
without  Letters,  without  Riches,  or  Means  to  procure  any  such 
thing  •  a  people  that  sate  as  deep  in  Darkness,  and  in  the  shadow 
of  Death,  as  (we  think)  any  since  the  Creation  :  This  puts  a  Lustre 
upon  it  that  is  Superlative ;  and  to  have  given  Royal  Patronage 
and  Countenance  to  such  a  Publication,  or  to  the  Means  thereof, 


400          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

will  stand  among  the  Marks  of  Lasting  Honour  in  the  eyes  of  all 
that  are  Considerate,  even  unto  After-Generations. 

"  And  though  there  be  in  this  Western  World  many  Colonies  of 
other  Europaean  Nations,  yet  we  humbly  conceive,  no  Prince  hath 
had  a  Return  of  such  a  Work  as  this  j  which  may  be  some  Token 
of  the  Success  of  Your  Majesties  Plantation  of  New-England, 
Undertaken  and  Setled  under  the  Encouragement  and  Security  of 
Grants  from  Your  Royal  Father  and  Grandfather,  of  Famous  Memory, 
and  Cherished  with  late  Gracious  Aspects  from  Your  Majesty. 
Though  indeed,  the  present  Poverty  of  these  Plantations  could  not 
have  Accomplished  this  Work,  had  not  the  fore  mentioned  Bounty 
of  England  lent  Relief;  Nor  could  that  have  Continued  to  stand 
us  in  stead,  without  the  Influence  of  Your  Royal  Favour  and  Au 
thority,  whereby  the  Corporation  there,  for  Propagating  the  Gospel 
among  these  Natives,  hath  been  Established  and  Encouraged  (whose 
Labour  of  Love,  Care,  and  Faithfulness  in  that  Trust,  must  ever  be 
remembred  with  Honour.)  Yea,  when  private  persons,  for  their 
private  Ends,  have  of  late  sought  Advantages  to  deprive  the  said 
Corporation  of  Half  the  Possessions  that  had  been,  by  Liberal  Con 
tributions,  obtained  for  so  Religious  Ends ;  We  understand,  That 
by  an  Honourable  and  Righteous  Decision  in  Your  Majesties  Court 
of  Chancery,  their  Hopes  have  been  defeated,  and  the  Thing  Settled 
where  it  was  and  is.  For  which  great  Favour,  and  Illustrious  Fruit 
of  Your  Majesties  Government,  we  cannot  but  return  our  most 
Humble  Thanks  in  this  Publick  Manner  :  And,  as  the  Result,  of 
the  joynt  Endeavours  of  Your  Majesties  Subjects  there  and  here, 
acting  under  Your  Royal  Influence,  We  Present  Ton  with  this 
Work,  which  upon  sundry  accounts  is  to  be  called  Yours. 

"  The  Southern  Colonies  of  the  Spanish  Nation  have  sent  home 
from  this  American  Continent,  much  Gold  and  Silver,  as  the  Fruit 
and  End  of  their  Discoveries  and  Transplantations:  That  (we  confess 
is  a  scarce  Commodity  in  this  Colder  Climate.  But  (sutable  to  the 
Ends  of  our  Undertaking)  we  Present  this,  and  other  Concomitant 
Fruits  of  our  poor  Endeavors  to  Plant  and  Propagate  the  Gospel 
here  j  which,  upon  a  true  account,  is  as  much  better  than  Gold,  as 
the  Souls  of  men  are  more  worth  than  the  whole  World.  This  is  a 


APPENDIX.  401 

Nobler  Fruit  (and  indeed,  in  the  Counsels  of  All-Disposing  Prov 
idence,  was  an  higher  intended  End)  of  Columbus  his  adventure. 
And  though  by  his  Brother's  being  hindred  from  a  seasonable  Ap 
plication,  your  Famous  Predecessour  and  Ancestor,  King  Henry  the 
Seventh,  missed  of  being  sole  owner  of  that  first  Discovery,  and  of 
the  Riches  thereof;  yet,  if  the  Honour  of  first  Discovering  the  True 
and  Saving  Knowledge  of  the  Grospel  unto  the  poor  Americans,  and 
of  Erecting  the  Kingdome  of  JESUS  CHRIST  among  them,  be 
Reserved  for,  and  do  Redound  unto  your  Majesty,  and  the  English 
Nation,  After-ages  Will  not  reckon  this  Inferiour  to  the  other.  Re 
ligion  is  the  End  and  Grlory  of  Mankinde ;  and  as  it  was  the  Pro 
fessed  End  of  this  Plantation ;  so  we  desire  ever  to  keep  it  in  our 
Eye  as  our  main  design  (both  as  to  ourselves,  and  the  Natives  about 
us)  and  that  our  Products  may  be  answerable  thereunto.  Grive  us 
therefore  leave  (Dread  Soveraign)  yet  again  humbly  to  Beg  the 
Continuance  of  your  Royal  Favour,  and  of  the  Influences  thereof, 
upon  this  poor  Plantation,  The  United  Colonies  of  NEW  ENG 
LAND,  for  the  Securing  and  Establishment  of  our  Civil  Priviledges, 
and  Religious  Liberties  hitherto  Enjoyed;  and,  upon  this  Grood 
Work  of  Propagating  Religion  to  these  Natives,  that  the  Supports 
and  Encouragements  thereof  from  England  may  be  still  counten 
anced  and  Confirmed.  May  this  Nursling  still  suck  the  Breast  of 
Kings,  and  be  fostered  by  your  Majesty,  as  it  hath  been  by  your 
Royal  Predecessors,  unto  the  Preservation  of  its  main  Concernments; 
It  shall  thrive  and  prosper  to  the  Grlory  of  Grod,  and  the  Honour  of 
your  Majesty:  Neither  will  it  be  any  loss  or  grief  unto  our  Lord 
the  King,  to  have  the  Blessings  of  the  Poor  to  come  upon  Him, 
and  that  from  these  Ends  of  the  Earth. 

"  The  God  by  whom  Kings  Reign,  and  Princes  Decree  Justice, 
Bless  Your  Majesty,  and  Establish  your  Throne  in  Righteous 
ness,  in  Mercy,  and  in  Truth,  to  the  Glory  of  His  Name,  the 
Good  of  his  People,  and  to  your  own  Comfort  and  Rejoycing, 
not  in  this  onely,  but  in  another  World." 

Specimen  of  the  Language  of  the  Indians  of  New  England,  taken 
from  the  first  edition  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Eliot's  translation  of  the  Bible. 
Printed  at  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  1661. 
43 


402          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

The  LORD'S  PRATER.     Mat.  vi,  9,  &c 

Nooshun  kesukqut,  quttianata-  Our  Father  which  art  in  hea- 

inunach  koowesuonk.     Peyau-  yen,  hallowed  be  thy  name.    Thy 

mooutch  kukketassootamoonk,  kingdom  come.    Thy  will  be  done 

kuttenantamoonk  nen  nach  ohkeit  in  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.    Give 

neane  kesukqut.    Nummeetsuon-  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.    And 

gash  asekesukokish  assamaiinean  forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive 

yeuyeu  kesukod.     Kah  ahquon-  our  debtors.     And   lead   us  not 

tamaiinneannummatcheseongash,  into  temptation,   but   deliver  us 

neane  matchenehukqeagig  nutah-  from  evil :  For  thine  is  the  king- 

quontamounnonog.    Ahque  sag-  dom,   the  power,  and  the    glory 

kompagunaiinnean  en  qutchhua-  forever.  Amen, 
oongauit,  webe  pohquohwussin- 
nean  wutch  matchitut.  Newutche 
kutahtaun  ketassootamoonk,  kah 
menuhkesuonk,  kah  sohsunioonk 
micheme.  Amen. 

Some  writers  have  mentioned  that  the  second  edition  of  the  Bible 
in  the  Indian  language  was  published  after  the  death  of  the  trans 
lator,  and  that  it  was  revised  and  corrected  by  the  Rev.  John 
Cotton,  of  Plymouth.  Others  observe,  that  to  the  second  edition  an 
Indian  Grammar  was  added  by  Mr.  Cotton.  They  must  have  been 
misinformed,  as  appears  by  the  statement  of  Mr.  Eliot.  In  a  letter 
dated  Roxbury,  Nov.  4,  1680,  to  the  lion.  Robert  Boyle,  president 
of  the  corporation  for  propagating  the  gospel  in  New  England,  Mr. 
Eliot  mentions,  "We  are  now  at  the  19th  chap,  of  the  Acts;  and 
when  we  have  impressed  the  New  Testament,  our  commissioners 
approve  of  my  preparing  and  impressing  also  the  old."  Nov.  27, 
1G83,  Mr.  Eliot  in  another  letter  to  the  same  person,  writes,  "  The 
work  [second  edition  of  the  Bible,  which  had  then  been  more  than 
three  years  in  the  press]  goeth  on  now  with  more  comfort,  though 
we  have  had  many  impediments,  &c.  They  [the  Indians]  have  still 
fragments  of  their  old  Bibles  [first  edition]  which  they  make  constant 
use  of."  Aug.  29,  1G86,  Mr.  Eliot  informs  the  Hon.  Robert  Boyle, 
"  the  Bible  is  come  forth  ;  many  hundreds  bound  up,  and  disposed  to 
the  Indians,  whose  thankfulness  I  intimate  and  testify  to  your  honor." 


APPENDIX.  403 

And  in  another  letter  of  July,  1688,  he  requests  that  10£  may  be 
given  to  the  Rev.  John  Cotton,  "  who  has  helped  him  much  in  the 
second  edition  of  the  Bible."1  It  appears,  as  has  been  elsewhere 
observed,  that  the  second  edition  was  six  years  in  the  press.  Mr. 
Eliot  died  two  years  after  this  edition  was  published  \  according  to 
Mather,-  in  1690,  aged  86.  The  New  England  Version  of  the 
Psalms  was  printed  with  the  Bible  but  I  cannot  find  that  the  Indian 
Grammar  was  published  with  either  of  the  editions.  It  accompanied 
some  copies  of  the  Psalter ;  i  e.  they  were  occasionally  bound  to 
gether  in  one  volume  small  octavo.3 


1  See  the  letters  at  large,  Hist.  Col.,  vol.  m,  p.  177,  et  seq. 

2  Magnalia. —  Life  of  Eliot. 

3  Since  Dr.   Thomas's  time  much  more  has  become  known  of  Eliot's 
Bible,  and  the  particularities  of  different  copies.    For  an  elaborate  account 
and  collation,  see  O'Callaghau's  List  of  American  Bibles. —  H. 


404          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


APPENDIX  F. 

[  Page  69.  ] 

The  following  is  given  as  a  specimen  of  the  New  England  version 
of  the  Psalms ;  first,  as  they  were  originally  printed ;  and,  secondly, 
as  they  appeared  after  being  revised  and  corrected  by  President  Dun- 
ster  and  Mr.  Lyon.  The  first  psalm  of  each  edition  is  selected  for 
the  purpose. 

[No.  i  —  By  Eliot  and  others.] 

THE  PSALMES 

In  Metre. 

PSALME  I. 

Blessed  man,  that  in  th'advice 

of  wicked  doeth  not  walk : 
nor  stand  in  sinner's  way,  nor  sit 
in  chayre  of  scorn  full  folk. 


o 


2  But  in  the  law  of  leliovah, 

is  his  longing  delight : 
and  in  his  law  doth  meditate, 
by  day  and  eke  by  night. 

3  And  he  shall  be  like  to  a  tree 

planted  by  water-rivers : 
that  in  his  season  yeilds  his  fruit, 
and  his  leafe  never  withers. 

4  And  all  he  cloth,  shall  prosper  well, 

the  wicked  are  not  so  : 
but  they  are  like  vnto  the  chaffe, 
which  winde  drives  to  and  fro. 

5  Therefore  shall  not  ungodly  men, 

rise  to  stand  in  the  doome, 
nor  shall  the  sinners  with  the  just, 
iu  their  assemblie  come. 


APPENDIX.  405 


6  For  of  the  righteous  men,  the  Lord 

acknowledged  the  way : 
but  the  way  of  vngodly  men, 
shall  vtterly  decay. 


[No.  ii  — Corrected  by  Dunster  and  Lyon.] 

THE 
BOOK  of  PSALMS. 


0 


PSAL.  I: 

Blessed  man  that  walks  not  in 

th' advice  of  wicked  men 
Nor  standeth  in  the  sinners  way 
nor  scorners  seat  sits  in. 


2  But  he  upon  Jehovah's  law 

doth  set  his  whole  delight : 

And  in  his  law  doth  meditate 

Both  in  the  day  and  night. 

3  He  shall  be  like  a  planted  tree 

by  water  brooks,  which  shall 

In  his  due  season  yield  his  fruit. 

whose  leaf  shall  never  fall : 

4  And  all  he  doth  shall  prosper  well. 

The  wicked  are  not  so  : 
But  they  are  like  unto  the  chaff, 
which  wind  drived  to  and  fro. 

5  Therefore  shall  no  ungodly  men 

in  judgement  stand  upright. 
Nor  in  th'assembly  of  the  just 
shall  stand  the  sinfull  wight. 

6  For  of  ye  righteous  men,  ye  LORD 

acknowledgeth  the  way  : 
Whereas  the  way  of  wicked  men 
shall  utterly  decay. 


406  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


APPENDIX  G. 

[  Page  112.  ] 

In  the  Life  of  Dr.  Franklin,  written  by  himself,  little  attention 
seems  to  have  been  paid  to  dates,  particularly  in  narrating  events 
which  took  place  during  his  minority.  He  informs  us  that  he  was 
born  in  Boston,  but  does  not  mention  the  month  nor  the  year;  he, 
however,  observes,1  that  his  brother  returned  from  England  in  1717, 
with  a  press  and  types ;  and,  that  his  father  determined  to  make 
him  a  printer,  and  was  anxious  that  he  should  be  fixed  with  his 
brother.  He  also  observes,  that  he  himself  held  back  for  some  time, 
but  suffered  himself  to  be  persuaded,  and  signed  his  indentures.  By 
the  manner  in  which  he  mentions  these  circumstances,  we  may  sup 
pose  that  they  took  place  within  a  short  period,  and  as  soon  as  his 
brother  began  business,  which  was  within  a  few  weeks  after  he  re 
turned  from  London.  The  doctor  mentions  that  when  he  signed  his 
indentures,  he  was  only  twelve  years  of  age ;  this  was  in  1717.  The 
New-England  Gourant  was  not  published  till  August,  1721 ;  at  this 
time  Benjamin  Franklin  must  have  been  in  his  seventeenth  year. 
The  first  Courant  published  by  Benjamin  Franklin,  after  his  brother 
was  ordered  to  print  it  no  longer,  is  No.  80,  dated  February  11, 1723 ; 
of  course  Benjamin  must  then  have  been  advanced  in  his  eighteenth 
year.  I  have  seen  a  file  of  the  Gourant  from  the  time  it  began  to 
be  published  in  the  name  of  Benjamin  Franklin  to  the  middle  of 
the  year  1726,'2  the  whole  of  which  was  published  in  the  name  of 
Benjamin  Franklin.  The  doctor  does  not  mention  how  long  the 
paper  was  published  in  his  name ;  he  only  says  that  it  was  for  "  some 
months/'  From  the  doctor's  manner  of  relating  this  part  of  his 
history,  we  may  conclude  that  he  did  not  leave  his  brother  short  of 
one  year  after  the  Gourant  was  printed  in  his,  Benjamin's  name ; 


1  In  the  London  12mo.  edit,  of  1793,  p.  29. 

2  This  file  is  in  the  Historical  Library  at  Boston. 


APPENDIX.  407 

and,  if  so,  he  must  have  been  nearly  nineteen  years  of  age ;  but,  if 
he  remained  with  his  brother  till  the  year  1726,  he  would  then  have 
been  twenty-one  years  old.  Yet  he  states,  page  53,  that  after 
he  left  his  brother,  "  he  found  himself  at  New  York,  nearly 
three  hundred  miles  from  his  home,  at  the  age  only  of  seventeen 
years."  It  is  evident  from  the  doctor's  account  of  himself  after  he 
left  his  brother,  that  he  did  not  remain  with  him  so  long  as  the  Cour- 
ant  was  published  in  the  name  of  Benjamin  Franklin;  for  he  gives 
an  account  of  his  return  to  Boston,  remaining  there  some  time,  his 
going  again  to  Philadelphia,  working  with  Keimer,  and  afterward 
making  a  voyage  to  London,  where  he  was  near  two  years  a  journey 
man,  and  returning  back  to  America,  and  again  arriving  in  Phila 
delphia  in  October,  1726.  It  is  difficult  to  reconcile  all  these  events 
with  the  few  dates  which  the  doctor  has  mentioned.  But  I  leave 
them  with  those  who  are  inclined  to  make  further  investigation. 


408          HISTORY  or  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


APPENDIX  II. 

[  Page  213.  ] 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  denunciation  of  George  Keith,  and 
his  printed  address ;  proclaimed  by  the  common  crier,  in  the  Market 
place,  Philadelphia,  August  25,  1692. 

"  At  a  Private  Sessions  held  for  the  County  of  Philadelphia  the 
25th  of  the  6th  month,  1692,  before  Arthur  Cook,  SamuelJcunings, 
Samuel  Richardson,  Humphrey  Murray,  Anthony  Morris,  Robert 
Ewer,  Justices  of  the  County. 

"  Whereas  the  Government  of  this  Province,  being  by  the  late 
King  of  England's  peculiar  favor  vested,  and  sithence  continued  in 
Governor  Penn,  who  thought  fit  to  make  his  and  our  worthy  friend 
Thomas  Lloyd  his  deputy  governor,  by  and  under  whom  the  Magis 
trates  do  act  in  this  Government — And  whereas  it  hath  been  proved 
before  us,  that  George  Keith  being  a  resident  here,  did,  contrary  to 
his  duty,  publickly  revile  the  said  Deputy  Governor,  calling  him  an 
Impudent  man,  telling  him  he  was  not  fit  to  be  Governor,  and  that 
his  name  would  stink,  with  many  other  slighting  and  abusive  Ex 
pressions,  both  to  him  and  the  Magistrates ;  and  he  that  useth  such 
exorbitancy  of  speech  towards  the  said  Governor,  may  be  supposed 
will  easily  dare  to  call  the  Members  of  Council  and  Magistrates 
Impudent  Rascals,  as  he  hath  lately  called  one  in  an  open  Assembly, 
that  was  constituted  by  the  Proprietary  to  be  a  Magistrate — and  he 
also  charges  the  Magistrates  who  are  Ministers  here,  with  engross 
ing  the  Magistratical  Power  into  their  hands,  that  they  might  usurp 
Authority  over  him,  saying  also,  he  hoped  in  God  he  should  shortly 
see  their  Power  taken  from  them ;  and  otherwise  conducted  in  a 
most  undecent  manner.  And  further  the  said  G.  K.  with  several  of 
his  adherents,  having  some  few  days  since,  with  an  unusual  insolency, 
by  a  printed  sheet,  called  An  Appeal,  &c.  Traduced,  and  vilely  mis 
represented  the  Industry,  Care,  Readiness  and  Vigilancy  of  some 
Magistrates  and  others  here,  in  their  late  Proceedings  against  some 
Privateers,  viz.  Babit  and  his  Crew,  in  order  to  bring  them  to  con 
dign  punishment,  whereby  to  discourage  such  attempts  for  the  future; 
and  hath  thereby  also  defamed  and  arraigned  the  Determinations  of 


APPENDIX.  409 

Provincial  Judicatory  against  Murderers ;  and  not  only  so,  but  by 
a  wrong  insinuation,  have  laboured  to  possess  the  readers  of  their 
Pamphlet,  that  it  is  inconsistent  for  those  who  are  Ministers  of  the 
Gospel  to  act  as  Magistrates.  Now,  forasmuch,  as  we,  as  well  as 
others,  have  borne,  and  still  do  patiently  endure  from  the  said  George 
Keith  and  his  adherents  many  personal  Reflections  against  us,  and 
their  Gross  Revilings  of  our  Religious  Society;  yet  we  cannot  without 
the  violation  of  our  trust  to  the  King  and  Governor,  as  also  to  the 
inhabitants  of  this  Government,  pass  by  or  connive  at  such  part  of 
the  said  Pamphlet  and  Speeches,  that  has  a  tendency  to  sedition 
and  disturbance  of  the  peace,  as  also  to  the  subversion  of  the  present 
Government,  or  to  the  aspersing  the  Magistracy  thereof. —  Therefore 
for  the  undeceiving  of  all  people  we  have  thought  fit  by  this  Publick 
Writing,  not  only  to  signify  that  our  Procedure  against  the  persons 
now  in  the  Sheriff's  custody,  as  well  as  what  we  intend  against  others 
concerned,  in  its  proper  place,  respects  only  that  part  of  the  said 
printed  sheet,  which  appears  to  have  the  tendency  aforesaid,  and  not 
any  part  relating  to  Differences  in  Religion.  But  also,  these  are  to 
Caution  such  who  are  well  affected  to  the  Security,  Peace  and  Legal 
Administration  of  Justice  in  this  Place,  that  they  give  no  countenance 
to  any  Revilers  and  Contemners  of  Authority,  Magistrates  or  Magis 
tracy  ;  as  also,  to  warn  all  other  persons,  that  they  forbear  the  future 
publishing  and  spreading  of  the  said  Pamphlet,  as  they  will  answer 
the  contrary  at  their  peril.  Given  under  our  Hands  and  County-Seal, 
the  Day,  Year  and  Place  aforesaid. 

"  ARTHUR  COOK,  HUMPHREY  MURREY, 

SAMUEL  JENNINGS,  ROBERT  EWER, 

SAMUEL  RICHARDSON,        ANTHONY  MORRIS." 

George  Keith  published  an  answer  to  the  foregoing,  in  which  he 
denies  that  he  blamed  Governor  Lloyd  and  the  magistrates,  for  their 
proceedings  against  the  privateers  [pirates  j]  or,  that  he  called  in 
question  their  power,  as  magistrates,  respecting  that  business ;  that 
their  conduct,  as  magistrates,  relating  to  the  pirates,  was  commend 
able,  &c.;  that  he  only  asserted,  "  that  as  quakers  and  ministers,  the 
magistrates  in  hiring  and  fitting  out  men  to  fight,  had  acted  diamet 
rically  opposite  and  contrary  to  the  often  declared  and  known^ prin 
ciple  of  the  quakers,  not  to  make  any  use  of  the  carnal  sword." 
44 


410          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


APPENDIX  m. 

[  Page  2G6.  ] 

Towne's  recantation  first  appeared  in  London's  New  York  Packet, 
published  at  Fishkill,  October  1, 1771  ',  and,  afterwards,  in  the  works 
of  Dr.  Witherspoon,  of  Philadelphia,  by  whom  it  was  written. 

Recantation  of  Benjamin  Towne. 

u  The  following  facts  are  well  known :  1st.  That  I  Benjamin 
Towne,  used  to  print  the  Pennsylvania  Evening  Post,  under  the  pro 
tection  of  Congress,  and  did  frequently  and  earnestly  solicit  sundry 
members  of  the  said  Congress  for  dissertations  and  articles  of  intelli 
gence,  professing  myself  to  be  a  very  firm  and  zealous  friend  to 
American  Liberty.  2d.  That  on  the  English  taking  possession  of 
Philadelphia,  I  turned  fairly  round,  and  printed  my  Evening  Post 
under  the  protection  of  General  Howe  and  his  army,  calling  the  Con 
gress  and  all  their  adherents,  Rebels,  Rascals,  and  Ragganiunins, 
and  several  other  unsavoury  names,  with  which  the  humane  and 
Polite  English  are  pleased  to  honor  them  — neither  did  I  ever  refuse 
to  insert  any  dissertation  however  scurrilous,  or  any  article  of  intel 
ligence  sent  to  me,  altho'  many  of  them  I  well  knew  to  be,  as  a  cer 
tain  gentleman  elegantly  expresses  it,  facts  that  never  happened. 
3d.  I  am  now  willing  and  desirous  to  turn  once  more,  to  unsay  all 
that  I  have  last  said,  and  to  print  and  publish  for  the  United  States 
of  America,  which  are  likely  to  be  uppermost,  against  the  British 
Tyrant ;  nor  will  I  be  backward  in  calling  him,  after  the  example  of 
the  great  and  eminent  author  1  of  Common  Sense,  The  Royal  Brute, 
or  giving  him  any  other  name  more  opprobrious,  if  such  can  be  found. 
The  facts  being  thus  stated,  (I  will  presume  to  say  altogether  fully 
and  fairly)  I  proceed  to  observe,  that  I  am  not  only  proscribed  by  the 
President  and  supreme  executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  but  that 


Thomas  Paine. 


APPENDIX.  411 

several  other  Persons  are  for  reprobating  my  paper,  and  allege  that  in 
stead  of  being  suffered  to  print,  I  ought  to  be  hanged  as  a  Traitor  to 
my  Country.  On  this  account  I  have  thought  proper  to  publish  the 
following  humble  confession,  declaration,  recantation,  and  apology, 
hoping  that  it  will  assuage  the  wrath  of  my  enemies,  and  in  some 
degree  restore  me  to  the  favor  and  indulgence  of  the  Public.  In  the 
first  place  then,  I  desire  it  may  be  observed,  that  I  never  was,  nor 
ever  pretended  to  be  a  man  of  character,  repute  or  dignity.  I  was 
originally  an  understrapper  to  the  famous  Galloway  l  in  his  infamous 
squabble  with  Goddard,'2  and  did  in  that  service  contract  such  a  habit 
of  meanness  in  thinking,  and  scurrility  in  Writing,  that  nothing  ex 
alted,  as  brother  Bell,3  provedore  to  the  sentimentalists,  would  say, 
could  ever  be  expected  from  me.  Now,  changing  sides  is  not  any 
way  surprising  in  a  person  answering  the  above  description.  I  re 
member  to  have  read  in  the  Roman  History,  that  when  Cato  of  Utica 
had  put  himself  to  death,  being  unable  to  survive  the  dissolution  of 
the  Republic,  and  the  extinction  of  Liberty,  another  senator  of  infe 
rior  note,  whose  name  I  cannot  recollect,  did  the  same  thing.  But 
what  thanks  did  he  receive  for  this  ?  The  men  of  reflection  only 
laughed  at  his  absurd  imitation  of  so  great  a  personage,  and  said  — 
he  might  have  lived  tho'  the  Republic  had  come  to  its  period.  Had 
a  Hancock  or  an  Adams  changed  sides,  I  grant  you  they  would 
have  deserved  no  quarter,  and  I  believe  would  have  received  none ; 
but  to  pass  the  same  judgment  on  the  conduct  of  an  obscure  Printer 
is  miserable  reasoning  indeed.  After  all,  why  so  much  noise  about 
a  trifle  ?  what  occasion  is  there  for  the  public  to  pour  out  all  its 
wrath  upon  poor  Towne;  are  turncoats  so  rare?  do  they  not  walk  on 

every  side  ?  have  we  not  seen  Dr.  S ,  J A ,  T C ,4 

and  many  others  who  were  first  champions  for  Liberty;  then  friends 
to  government — and  now  discover  a  laudable  incrmation  to  fall  into 


1  Joseph  Galloway,  Esq.,  formerly  speaker  of  the  house  of  assembly  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  partner  of  William  Goddard,  &c. 

2  William  Goddard,  a  printer  of  The  Pennsylvania  Chronide,  to  whom 
Towne  had  been  a  journeyman. 

3  Robert  Bell,  a  well  known  boo.k  auctioneer  of  Philadelphia. 

4  Supposed  to  mean  Doctor  S  —  h,  John  A  —  n  and  T—  C  —  e,  of  Phila- 
delphia. 


412          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

their  ranks  as  quiet  and   orderly   subjects  of  the  commonwealth  of 
Pennsylvania. 

The  rational  moralists  of  the  last  age  used  to  tell  us  that  there 
was  an  essential  difference  between  virtue  and  vice,  because  there 
was  an  essential  difference  to  be  observed  in  the  nature  and  reason 
of  things.  Now,  with  all  due  deference  to  these  great  men,  I  think 
I  am  as  much  of  a  Philosopher  as  to  know  that  there  are  no  circum 
stances  of  action  more  important  than  those  of  time  and  place,  there 
fore,  if  a  man  pay  no  regard  to  the  changes  that  may  happen  in  these 
circumstances,  there  will  be  very  little  Virtue,  and  still  less  Prudence 
in  his  behavior.  Perhaps  I  have  got  rather  too  deep  for  common 
readers,  and  therefore  shall  ask  any  plain  Quaker  in  this  city,  what 
he  would  say  to  a  man  who  should  wear  the  same  coat  in  summer  as 
in  winter  in  this  climate?  He  would  certainly  say,  "  Friend  thy 
wisdom  is  not  great."  Now  whether  I  have  not  had  as  good  reason 
to  change  my  conduct  as  my  coat,  since  last  January,  I  leave  to  every 
impartial  person  to  determine.  2dly,  I  do  hereby  declare  and  confess, 
that  when  I  printed  for  Congress,  and  on  the  side  of  Liberty,  it  was 
not  by  any  means  from  principle,  or  a  desire  that  the  cause  of  Liberty 
should  prevail,  but  purely  and  simply  from  the  love  of  gain.  I 
could  have  made  nothing  but  tar  and  feathers  by  printing  against 
them  as  things  then  stood.  I  make  this  candid  acknowledgment 
not  only  as  a  penitent  to  obtain  pardon,  but  to  show  that  there  was 
more  consistency  in  my  conduct  than  my  enemies  are  willing  to 
allow.  They  are  pleased  to  charge  me  with  hypocrisy  in  pretending 
to  be  a  Whig  when  I  was  none.  This  charge  is  false  ;  I  was  neither 
whig  nor  tory  but  a  Printer.  I  detest  and  abhor  hypocrisy.  1  had 
no  more  regard  for  General  Howe  or  General  Clinton,1  or  even  for 
Mrs.  Lo wring,2  or  any  other  of  the  Chaste  Nymphs^  that  attended 
the  fete  Champetre,:i  alias  Mischianza  when  I  printed  in  their  behalf, 
than  for  the  congress  on  the  day  of  their  retreat.  It  is  pretended 
that  I  certainly  did  in  my  heart  incline  to  the  English,  because  that 
I  printed  much  bigger  lies  and  in  greater  number  for  them,  than 


1  Two  British  generals,  sent  over  to  subjugate  the  colonies. 

2  A  married  lady,  said  to  have  been  the  mistress  of  the  British  General 
II— e. 

3  A  public  exhibition  in  honor  of  the  British  General  Howe. 


APPENDIX.  413 

for  the  Congress.  This  is  a  most  false  and  unjust  insinuation.  It 
was  entirely  the  fault  of  the  Congress  themselves,  who  thought  fit 
(being  but  a  new  potentate  upon  the  earth,)  to  be  much  more  modest, 
and  keep  nearer  the  truth  than  their  adversaries.  Had  any  of  them 
bro't  me  in  a  lie  as  big  as  a  mountain  it  should  have  issued  from  my 
press.  This  gives  me  an  opportunity  of  showing  the  folly  as  well  as 
malignity  of  those  who  are  actuated  by  party  spirit ;  many  of  them 
have  affirmed  that  I  printed  monstrous  and  incredible  lies  for  Gen 
eral  Howe.  Now  pray  what  harm  could  incredible  lies  do  ?  the  only 
hurt,  I  conceive,  that  any  lie  can  do,  is  by  obtaining  belief,  as  a  truth ; 
but  an  incredible  lie  can  obtain  no  belief,  and  therefore  at  least 
must  be  perfectly  harmless.  What  will  those  cavillers  think,  if  I 
should  turn  this  argument  against  them,  and  say  that  the  most  effec 
tual  way  to  disgrace  any  cause  is  to  publish  monstrous  and  incredible 
lies  in  its  favor.  In  this  view,  I  have  not  only  innocence,  but  some 
degree  of  merit  to  plead.  However,  take  it  which  way  you  will, 
there  never  was  a  lie  published  in  Philadelphia  that  could  bear  the 
least  comparison  with  those  published  by  James  Rivington,1  in  New 
York.  This  in  my  opinion  is  to  be  imputed  to  the  superiority  not 
of  the  Printer,  but  of  the  Prompter  or  Prompters.  I  reckon  Mr. 

T a  to  have  excelled  in  that  branch;  and  he  had  probably  many 

coadjutors.— What  do  you  think  of  40,000  Russians  and  20,000 
Moors,  which  Moors  too  were  said  by  Mr.  Rivington  to  be  dreadful 
among  the  women  ?  as  also  the  boats  building  at  the  forks  of  the 
Monongahela  to  carry  the  Congress  down  the  Ohio  to  New  Orleans? 
these  were  swingers. —  As  to  myself  and  friend  H —  — s.:?  we 
contented  ourselves  with  publishing  affidavits  to  prove  that  the  king 
of  France  was  determined  to  preserve  the  friendship  that  subsisted 
between  him  and  his  good  brother  the  King  of  England,  of  which 
he  has  given  a  new  proof  by  entering  into  and  communicating  his 
treaty  with  the  United  States  of  America.  Upon  the  whole  I  hope 
the  public  will  attribute  my  conduct,  not  to  disaffection,  but  to  at- 


1  "  Printer  to  the  King's  Most  Excellent  Majesty,"  in  New  York. 

2  Supposed  to  refer  to  a  former  governor  of  North  Carolina,  and  after 
wards  governor  of  New  York. 

3  James  II  -    — s,  printer  in   Philadelphia,  whilst  the  British  troops 
were  in  possession  of  that  city,  and  before  that  time. 


414          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

tachment  to  my  own  interest  and  desire  of  gain  in  my  profession ;  a 
principle,  if  I  mistake  not,  pretty  general  and  pretty  powerful  in  the  pre 
sent  day.  odly  I  hope  the  public  will  consider  that  I  have  been  a  tim 
orous  man,  or,  if  you  will,  a  coward,  from  my  youth,  so  that  I  cannot 
fight —  my  belly  is  so  big  that  I  cannot  run  — and  I  am  so  great  a  lover 
of  eating  and  drinking  that  I  cannot  starve.  When  those  three  things 
are  considered,  I  hope  they  will  fully  account  for  my  past  conduct, 
and  procure  me  the  liberty  of  going  on  in  the  same  uniform  tenor 
for  the  future.  No  just  judgment  can  be  formed  of  a  man's  cha 
racter  and  conduct  unless  every  circumstance  is  taken  in  and  fairly 
attended  to ;  I  therefore  hope  that  this  justice  will  be  done  in  my 
case.  I  am  also  verily  pursuaded  that  if  all  those  who  are  cowards 
as  well  as  myself,  but  who  are  better  off  in  other  respects,  and  there 
fore  can  and  do  run  whenever  danger  is  near  them,  would  befriend 
me,  I  should  have  no  inconsiderable  body  on  my  side.  Peace  be 
with  the  Congress  and  the  army  ;  I  mean  no  reflections ;  but  the 
world  is  a  wide  field,  and  I  wish  everybody  would  do  as  they  would 
be  done  by.  Finally,  I  do  hereby  recant,  draw  back,  eat  in,  and 
swallow  down,  every  word  that  I  have  ever  spoken,  written  or  printed 
to  the  prejudice  of  the  United  States  of  America,  hoping  it  will  not 
only  satisfy  the  good  people  in  general,  but  also  all  those  scatter 
brained  fellows,  who  call  one  another  out  to  shoot  pistols  in  the  air, 
while  they  tremble  so  much  they  cannot  hit  the  mark.  In  the  mean 
time  I  will  return  to  labor  with  assiduity  in  my  lawful  calling,  and 
essays  and  intelligence  as  before  shall  be  gratefully  accepted  by  the 
Public's  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

"BENJAMIN  TOWNE." 


APPENDIX.  415 


APPENDIX  I. 

[  Page  291.  ] 

Green's  Handbill,  and  the  depositions  consequent  thereon,  which 
were  all  published  at  the  time,  will  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the 
state  of  the  press  in  New  England  in  1700.  I  have  taken  them 
from  a  copy  in  my  possession ;  they  are  as  follow. 

"  The  Printers  Advertisement!' 

11  Whereas  there  is  Prefixed  unto  a  late  Pamphlet,  Eritituled,  Gos 
pel  Order  Revived,  Printed  at  New-York,  An  Advertisement,  which 
runs  in  these  words,  viz.  The  Reader  is  desired  to  take  Notice,  that 
the  Press  in  Boston  is  so  much  under  the  aw  of  the  Reverend  Author, 
whom  we  answer,  and  his  Friends,  that  we  could  not  obtain  of  the 
Printer  there  to  Print  the  follow  ing  Sheets,  which  is  the  only  true 
Reason  why  we  have  sent  the  Copy  so  far  for  its  Impression,  and 
where  it  is  Printed  with  some  Difficulty.  I  count  my  self  bound  in 
Justice  unto  all  Persons  aspers'd  by  that  Advertisement,  to  Declare 
and  Publish  to  the  World  the  Truth  of  the  matter,  which  briefly  is 
this  :  Certain  Persons  bringing  to  the  Press,  the  Pamphlet  above 
mentioned,  after  some  Discourse  concerning  the  number  of  Copies 
and  Price,  I  Consented  to  its  being  Published  :  But  when  they  in 
sisted  upon  doing  it  with  Secresy,  I  considered  that  for  aught  I  knew 
Good  men  in  the  Country  might  be  Offended  at  it :  Therefore  I  only 
proposed  this  Reasonable  thing,  That  before  I  proceeded,  I  might 
mention  to  His  Honor  the  Lieutenant  Governour,  what  was  offered  to 
the  Press ;  This  they  denied  me  ;  But  when  they  angrily  went  away 
some  of  my  last  words  to  them  were,  That  I  did  not  refuse  to  Print  it. 
And  neither  the  Reverend  President  of  the  Colledge,  nor  any  of  his 
Friends,  ever  spoke  one  word  unto  me  to  Discourage  my  Printing  of 

it. 

"  BARTHOLOMEW  GREEN. 

"  Boston  December  21st,  1700. 


416          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 


REMARKS.1 

"  The  Printer  having  by  this  Advertisement  Vindicated  those 
that  were  unworthily  reflected  on  in  the  Advertisement,  Prefixed 
to  the  above  mentioned  Libellous  Pamphlet,  (which  no  man  is 
as  yet  so  Hardy  as  to  own  himself  to  be  the  Author  of)  the  world 
may  Judge  of  other  things  contained  therein  by  this.  It  will  in 
due  Time  appear,  that  besides  the  Profane  Scoffs  and  Scurrilities, 
(not  only  on  particular  persons,  who  never  deserved  such  Treat 
ments,  but  also  on  the  Holy  Churches  of  the  Lord,  and  on  the 
most  Sacred  Actions  performed  in  them,  which  is  the  Spirit  of  their 
whole  Pamphlet  —  as  if  they  had  designed  to  have  that  Scripture  ful 
filled  upon  them.  2.  Tim.  2.9.  They  shall  proceed  no  further,  for 
their  folly  shall  be  manifest  to  all  men  — besides  all  this,  it  will  ap 
pear  that  there  are  other  more  Impudent  Falsehoods  than  that  in 
their  Advertisement,  which  the  Printer  in  Boston,  has  (as  became  an 
Honest  and  Just  man)  made  a  discovery  of. 

"  Dated  in  Boston,  December  24th,  1700." 

"  The  depositions  of  Thomas  Brattle,  Gent,  and  Zcchariali  Tuthill, 

Merchant. 

"  These  Deponents  say,  That  on  Saturday,  the  13th  of  July  last, 
they  went  to  Bartholomew  Green's  to  Treat  with  him  about  Printing 
an  answer  to  Old  Mr.  Mather's  Book,  called,  The  Order  of  the  Gospel : 
Who,  after  he  had  taken  said  Answer  into  his  hands,  and  seen  both 
what  it  was,  and  how  much  there  was  of  it,  told  them  he  reckoned 
Three  Sheets  of  Paper  might  contain  it,  and  seven  Ream  of  Paper 
Print  about  a  Thousand  of  them ;  for  which  they  agreed  with  him 
for  Twenty  Shillings  the  sheet.  He  made  not  any  Objection  to  them 
against  Printing  said  Answer ;  only  said  he  could  not  go  about  it, 
till  he  had  Printed  off  the  Laws,  which  would  not  be  till  the  Tuesday 
following.  They  further  say,  There  was  never  any  other  person  that 
brought  said  Answer  to  the  Press,  but  the  deponents  j  and  they  never 
brought  it,  but  at  this  time.  But  neither  did  the  said  Green  pro 
pose  to  them  the  mentioning  to  his  Honour  the  Lieutenant  Gover- 


1  These  remarks  were  written  l)v  Cotton  Mather. 


APPENDIX.  417 

nour,  what  was  offered  to  the  Press,  nor  did  they  deny  it  him  ;  nor 
did  they  go  away  in  any  Anger  from  him,  nor  did  they  hear  him  say 
any  such  word  :  (That  he  did  not  refuse  to  print  if),  all  which  the 
said  Green  in  his  late  Advertisement  of  2lth  Instant  most  unfairly 
Declares,  That  certain  persons  bringing  to  the  Press  the  Answer 
above  mentioned,  did. 

"  THO.  BRATTLE. 
"  Boston,  Dec.  27,  1700.  "  ZECH  TUTHILL. 

The  Subscribers  offering  to  malce  Oath  to  what  is  above  written, 
the  same  being  several  times  distinctly  read  over  in  the  hearing  o/Bar- 
tholomew  Green,  he  owned  the  same  to  be  what  passed  between  him  and 
them. 

"  Coram,  ISAAC  ADDTNGTON,    |  Justices  of 
NATHANIEL  BYFIELD.  j  the  Peace." 


"  The  Depositions  of  John  Mico  &  Zechariah  Tuthill,  Merchants. 

"  These  Deponents  say,  That  on  or  about  the  IQth  of  July  last,  they 
went  to  Bartholomew  Green's  to  see  if  he  were  ready  to  Print  the  An 
swer  to  Old  Mr.  Mather's  Gospel  Order,  but  he  was  then  unwilling  to 
Print  it  because  (as  he  said)  it  would  displease  some  of  his  Friends ; 
and  to  the  best  of  their  remembrance,  he  mentioned  particularly  the 
Mathers.  They  told  him  it  was  strange  he  would  Print  any  thing  for 
the  said  Mathers,  and  particularly  the  said  Gospel  Order,  and  noth 
ing  in  Answer  to  it  or  them,  by  which  means  the  World  might  think 
those  Principles  to  be  approved  by  all,  which  were  abhorred  by  sun 
dry  Worthy  Ministers  in  the  Land.  The  unfairness  of  which  prac 
tice  they  laboured  to  convince  him  of,  yet  he  still  declined  to  Print 
it ;  but  at  length  said,  if  they  would  admit  the  Lieutenant  Governor 
to  be  askt,  to  give  his  Approbation  to  it,  he  would  Print  it ;  which 
they  were  unwilling  to  for  this  reason :  Because  they  conceived  it  a 
new  Method,  not  practised  heretofore,  and  which  the  said  Green 
would  not  have  required  of  them  now,  but  to  put  off  the  Printing 
of  this  Book  which  answered  the  Mathers,  whom  he  seemed  loth  to 
displease.  These  Deponents  hereupon  asked  said  Printer,  whether 
45 


418          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

he  had  his  Honours  leave  to  Print  the  Gospel  Order  ?  he  said,  he 
had  not.  They  then  asked  him  if  he  would  Print  this,  if  Young 
Mr.  Mather  would  be  Imprimatur  to  it  ?  he  readily  said,  he  would. 
Then  they  told  him,  it  was  a  shame  so  Worthy  a  Minister  as  Mr. 
Stoddard  must  send  so  far  as  England  to  have  his  book  printed, 
when  young  Mr.  Mather  had  the  Press  at  his  pleasure  ?  To  which 
he  replied,  he  hoped  Mr.  Mather  was  another  guess  man  than  Mr 
Stoddard.  At  length  they  told  him,  if  he  would  not  Print  it,  they 
would  have  it  Printed  elsewhere  ;  but  did  not  hear  him  say  those 
words  in  his  Advertisement  of  the  2lst  Instant,  namely,  That  he  did 

not  refuse  to  print  it. 

"  JOHN  Mico 

"  Boston,  December  27,  1700.  ZECH.  TUTHILL." 

"  /Sworn  by  the  two  persons  Subscribing,  Bartholomew  Green  being 
present,  and  excepting  against  those  words  in  the  Evidence  ;  particu 
larly  the  Mathers,  and  that  he  would  Print  it,  if  young  Mr.  Mather 
would  be  Imprimatur  to  it :  Also  affirming  he  said  those  words,  He 
did  not  refuse  to  Print  it,  and  nothing  further. 

"  Coram,  ISAAC  ADDINGTON,      |  Justices  of 
NATHANEL  BYFIELD.  f  the  Peace." 


"  Mr.  Green  the  Printer,  being  by  these  Depositions  Convicted  of 
sundry  Mistakes  in  his  late  Advertisement,  so  that  his  Folly  and 
theirs  who  set  him  on  work  is  manifest  unto  all  men  ;  there  is  just 
reason  to  suspect  the  truth  of  what  he  saith  in  the  Fag-end  of  his 
Advertisement,  that  neither  the  Reverend  Prsesident,  nor  any  of  his 
Friends  ever  spoke  a,  word  to  him  to  discourage  his  printing  the 
Answer  to  the  Order  of  the  Gospel.  But  whether  that  be  true  or  false, 
concerns  not  the  Advertisement  prefix'd  to  said  Answer,  which  saith 
nothing  of  any  one  speaking  to  the  Printer,  to  discourage  him  ;  but 
only  that  his  Press  was  so  much  under  the  aw  of  the  Reverend  Author 
and  his  friends,  that  we  could  not  obtain  of  him  to  Print  it ;  Than 
which  nothing  can  be  more  evident  from  these  Depositions,  which 
say,  The  said  Printer  after  he  had  positively  agreed  for  the  Printing 
said  Answer,  fell  of  from  his  Bargain,  and  declined  to  Print  it,  be 
cause  it  would  displease  some  of  his  Friends,  and  particularly  the 


APPENDIX.  419 

Mathers,  who  are  known  by  all  to  have  been  his  particular  Friends 
ami  Imployers.  So  that  the  Reverend  Author  of  that  Libellous 
Scribble,  at  the  tail  of  said  Green's  Advertisement  (to  which  the  Rev 
erend  Author  was  not  yet  so  Hardy  as  to  set  his  Name)  had  no  reason 
to  Reflect  as  he  did  on  the  Advertisement  prefix'd  to  said  Answer, 
or  to  Boast  of  the  Printer's  Vindication,  but  might  be  asham'd  of 
both.  As  for  the  prophane  Scoffs  and  Scurrilities  not  only  on  par 
ticular  persons,  but  on  the  Holy  Churches  of  the  Lord,  and  the  most 
Sacred  Actions  therein  performed  (by  -which  are  meant  0  HORRI 
BLE  !  his  two  dear  and  precious  Creatures,  RELATIONS  and  the 
CHURCH  COVENANT,)  which  that  infamous  Scribble  saith,  is 
the  Spirit  of  the  whole  Answer,  and  those  other  Falsehoods  it  is 
threatened  shall  appear  therein  ;  they  are  but  Bruta  Fulmina  to 
fright  and  scare  the  poor  deluded,  bigotted  people  withal,  which  is 
the  very  Spirit  and  Quintessence  of  the  Reverend  Scribler.  But  all 
these  little  Artifices  and  Cavils  were  plainly  foreseen,  and  so  fully 
provided  against  by  the  Ingenious  Authors  of  said  Answer,  that 
there's  no  need  of  taking  any  further  notice  of  them  here. 

';  I  shall  therefore  at  present  say  no  more,  \)u.t  that  the  World  may 
Judg  what  base  and  injurious  treatment  that  Answer  must  expect 
from  its  Enraged  Adversaries,  by  what  is  contained  in  that  one  little 
Canting,  Scandalous  Libel,  wherein  there  are  far  more  profane 
Scoffs,  Scurrilities  and  Impudent  Falsehoods,  than  are  in  all  that 
GREAT  and  NOBLE  and  EXCELLENT  ANSWER. 

THO.  BRATTLE." 

"  Boston,  December  27,  1700.     "  Boston,  printed  by  J.  Allen." 


THE  DEPOSITION  OF  BARTHOLOMEW  GREEN  PRINTER. 
"  Who  Testifies  and  Says,  That  on  Saturday,  some  time  last 
Summer,  Mr.  Thomas  Brattle,  and  Mr.  Zech.  Tuthill  came  to  my 
Work  House  in  Boston,  and  brought  with  them  a  Manuscript  of 
small  Writing  for  me  to  Print ;  and  calling  me  aside  to  one  end  of 
the  Room,  desired  me  to  be  private  in  it,  and  to  keep  it  from  the 
Mathers  ;  informing  me  that  it  was  an  Answer  to  Old  Mr.  Mathers 
Book,  of  the  Order  of  the  Gospel  And  after  I  had  taken  it  into 
my  hand,  Mr.  Brattle  told  me,  it  was  not  yet  ready,  he  would  Trans- 


420          HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

cribe  it.  They  asked  me  how  much  I  thought  it  would  make  :  I 
answered,  Three  Sheets,  or  something  more,  in  Octavo  ;  and  told 
them  I  could  not  do  it  before  the  Laws  were  Printed,  which  would 
be  next  Monday  or  Tuesday.  They  asked  me  how  much  Paper 
Three  Sheets  would  take  to  Print  a  Thousand  :  I  answered  about 
Seven  Ream.  They  asked  me  how  much  I  would  have  a  Sheet ;  I 
answered,  Two  and  Twenty  Shillings.  They  said,  I  could  do  it 
cheaper.  I  reply'd,  Mr.  Brattle  was  very  curious  in  Correcting. 
They  told  me,  That  would  be  for  my  Credit,  or  to  that  purpose. 
After  some  other  words  I  consented  to  do  it  for  Twenty  Shitting 
Per  Sheet :  Whereupon  they  told  me,  they  would  have  the  Paper 
of  Mr.  George;  and  so  went  away,  taking  the  Copy  with  them. 
After  they  were  gone,  it  came  into  my  mind  what  great  disturbance 
the  jUldttifostO  had  made  (which  I  Printed  very  privately  at  said 
TuthiWs  desire)  which  made  me  the  more  thoughtful,  lest  this  might 
give  more  Offence.  Yetfor  all,  I  went  not  to  the  Reverend  President; 
neither  did  I  receive  any  Discouragement  from  him,  or  any  of  his 
Friends,  as  to  my  Printing  of  it. 

"  The  Monday  or  Tuesday  following,  Mr.  Zechariah  Tuthill  came 
alone  to  my  Printing  House,  where  I  was,  and  guessing  at  his  Busi 
ness,  I  desired  him  to  walk  out  with  me.  Then  I  told  him,  I  was 
much  concern'd  about  the  Book,  and  prayed  hi  in  to  tell  me  who  was 
the  Author  of  it.  What?  said  he,  Now  you  have  been  with  Mr. 
Mather.  To  which  I  replied,  I  have  not.  Whereupon  he  said, 
There  are  three  or  four  that  are  the  Authors  of  it.  Then  I  desired 
only  that  I  might  mention  it  to  the  Lieutenant  Governour,  or  ask  his 
Approbation  ;  which  said  I,  I  ought  to  do  in  Books  of  Controversy. 
Mr.  Tuthill  seem'd  to  be  willing  I  should  j  which  greatly  satisfied 
me.  And  understanding  His  Honour  was  to  be  in  Town  that  day, 
I  was  to  wait  on  him  for  that  end.  This  is  the  substance  of  what 
pass'd  between  Mr.  Tuthill  and  me. 

"  A  little  while  after,  in  the  same  day,  Mr.  John  Mico,  and  the 
said  Mr.  Zechariah  Tuthill  came  to  me  to  my  Printing  Room,  and 
charged  me  by  no  means  to  go  to  the  Lieutenant  Grovernour,  for 
they  would  not  have  him  know  of  it.  After  this,  there  passed  some 
discourse  concerning  Mr.  Increase  Mather1  s  Book,  the  Order  of  the 
Gospel,  and  of  Mr.  Stoddard's  Book,  of  Instituted  Churches,  as  I 


APPENDIX.  421 

understood.  Mr.  Mico  asked  me  if  it  were  not  pity,  or  a  shame, 
that  such  a  man  as  Mr.  Stoddard  should  send  so  far  as  England  to 
have  his  Book  Printed.  The  Answer  to  which  I  do  not  justly 
remember,  nor  for  what  reason  he  spake  it  to  me  :  for  Mr.  Stoddard' s 
Book  was  never  offered  me  to  Print ;  by  himself  or  any  other  person. 
Afterward  Mr.  Mico  said  to  me,  Well !  you  do  refuse  to  Print  it, 
meaning  the  Manuscript  that  was  an  Answer  to  Mr.  Increase 
Mather's  Order  of  the  Gospel.  I  answered  No,  I  do  not  refuse  to 
Print  it :  but  am  not  willing  to  do  it  without  the  Lieutenant  Gov 
ernor's  Leave,  or  to  that  purpose.  Whereupon  they  said  they 
would  have  it  printed  elsewhere ;  and  went  away  in  some  Anger. 
"Boston  Jan.  4th,  1700,  —  1.  BARTHOLOMEW  GREEN." 
"  Boston  Jan.  4th,  1700,  —  1.  Sworn  by  BARTHOL.  GREEN, 
Printer  ;  Mr.  Thomas  Brattle,  Mr.  John  Mico,  and  Mr.  Zechariah 
Tuthill,  being  Notified  and  Present. 

C  SAMUEL  SEWALL.  ~\  Justices 

"  Cor  am  Nobis.  -!  PETER  SERGEANT.  [•   of  the 

(_  PENN  TOWNSEND.  j  Peace  " 

The  Deposition  of  John  Allen  and  Timothy  Green,  Printers. 

"  These  Deponents  can  and  do  Testify,  That  being  at  Bartholmew 
Green's  Printing  house  at  or  about  the  13th  of  July  1700.  Where 
Mr.  Thomas  Brattle  and  Mr.  Zechariah  Tuthill  came,  and  call'd 
the  said  Green  aside  to  another  part  of  the  Room,  where  they  had 
some  Private  Discourse;  which  said  Green  afterwards  informed  us, 
that  it  was  to  Print  an  Answer  to  Mr.  Mather's  Order  of  the  Gospel. 
Some  few  days  after,  the  aforesaid  Zechariah  Tuthill  came  alone  to 
the  aforesaid  Printing-House,  where  we  also  then  were.  And  the 
said  Green  and  Tuthill  went  out  together,  and  had  some  discourse 
together.  After  the  said  Tuthill  was  gone,  the  said  Green  told  us 
that  he  had  proposed  to  the  said  Tuthill  the  acquainting  the  Lieu 
tenant  Governour  with  it  before  he  proceeded  in  doing  it ;  which 
the  said  Green  said,  that  the  said  Tuthill  was  willing  to :  Whereat 
the  said  Green  seem'd  mightily  well  pleased.  But  some  time  after 
in  the  same  day,  came  the  aforesaid  Tuthill  with  Mr.  John  Mico  to 
the  aforesaid  Printing  house ;  and  we  do  Testify  that  we  heard  the 
said  Mico  forbid  the  said  Green  acquainting  the  Lieutenant  Gov 
ernour  with  it;  but  that  he  should  say  nothing  of  it.  Other  dis- 


422  HISTORY  OF  PRINTING  IN  AMERICA. 

course  happened,  which  we  took  not  much  notice  of.  But  this  we 
can,  and  do  Testify  to,  That  we  heard  the  said  Mr.  John  Mico,  or 
Tuthill,  one  of  them  say,  Well !  or  What,  then  you  Refuse  to  Print 
it.  Unto  which  the  said  Green  Replyed,  No,  I  do  not  Refuse  to 
Print  it :  but  am  unwilling  without  the  Lieutenant  Governour's 
Leave,  or  Approbation.  Hereupon  they  went  away  seemingly  Angry, 
saying,  We  will  have  it  Printed  elsewhere. 
"  Boston  January  4th.  "  JOHN  ALLEN. 

"1700.  TIMOTHY  GREEN." 

«  1701.     [N.  S.] 

"  Boston  Jan.  4,  1700,  1.  Sworn  by  the  Subscribers,  John  Alien, 
and  Timothy  Green  ;  Mr.  Thomas  Brattle,  and  Mr.  John  Mico, 
and  Mr.  Zechariah  Tuthill  being  Notified  and  Present. 

C  SAMUEL  SEW  ALL.  ")  Justices 
"  Cor  am  Nobis  .3  PETER  SERGEANT.  V  of  the 
(_PENN  TOWNSEND.  J  Peace." 

To  the  Candid  READER. 

"  THE  shortness  of  my  Advertisement  of  the  2lst  of  December, 
1700,  having  rendred  it  less  intelligible,  &  given  Occasion  for  some 
Exceptions  that  have  been  since  taken  against  it :  for  this  reason  I 
have  explained  it  in  the  Foregoing  Depositions.  As  also  because 
there  being  no  mention  made  in  the  Deposition  of  Mr.  Thomas 
Brattle  and  Mr.  Zcchariah  Tuthill  of  the  27th  of  December,  of 
their  speaking  to  me  to  Print  their  Copy  privately ;  some  might 
happily  think,  I  Owned  that  they  did  not  speak  to  me  to  do  it,  pri 
vately  :  Whenas  I  declar'd  to  the  contrary.  And  some  might  think 
and  boast,  that  I  had  Owned  that  I  had  most  untruly,  or  at  least 
most  unfairly  declared  in  my  said  Advertisement :  Which  I  never 
did  Own;  neither  doth  the  Attestation  of  the  Honourable  Justices 
import  I  did. 

"  And  because  what  pass'd  between  Mr.  Zechariah  Tuthill  &  me 
singly,  is  wholly  Omitted  in  both  the  Depositions  said  Tuthill  was 
concerned  in. 

"  The  Sum  is,  Whenas  no  Name  appeared  in  the  Title  Page ;  nor 
so  much  as  the  Name  of  any  Author  was  told  me,  when  I  re 
quested  it;  £  I  had  no  opportunity  to  read  it  over  my  self;  the  Piece 


APPENDIX.  423 

being  also  Controversal :  I  concluded  it  would  be  altogether  incon 
venient  for  me  to  Print  it  upon  my  own  head  without  asking  advice  ; 
for  which  I  referr'd  myself  to  the  Honourable  WILLIAM  STOUGH- 
TON,  Esq }  our  Lieutenant    Governour,  who  became  Commander 
in  Chief  of  the  Province  before  the  Week  was  out.    For  His  Excel 
lency  the  Lord  BELL  OMONT,  our  Governour,  began  his  Voyage 
to  New    York,  upon    Wednesday  the  Ylih  of  July,  1700.   the  very 
next  day  after  Mr.  Mico  and  Mr.  TuthiU  were  with  me.     Nor  was 
it  a  new  thing  to  show  Copies  to  the  Lieutenant  Governour  in  order 
to  their  being  Printed.     Mr.  SewaWs  Phenomena  Apocatyptica  was 
taken  off  the  Press,  and  carried  to  the  Lieutenant  Governour  for  his 
Allowance.     By  the  same  Token,  one  Half  Sheet  being  wrought  off 
too  soon :  the  Author  was  at  the  Charge  to  Print  it  over  again,  to 
gratify  His  Honour  in  some  Alterations  that  could  not  otherwise  be 
made.     Besides  other  Instances  that  might  be  given.     And  consid 
ering  the  Lieut.  Governours  Eminent  Qualification  to  judge  of  Books  ; 
the  Station  God  has  given  him  in  the  New  English  Church ;  and 
the  good   Offices  he   has  done  for  Mr.   Benjamin    Colman  and  his 
Church  in  particular  :  Every  one  that  is  not  a  Stranger  in  Boston 
may  wonder  at  it,  that  a  Book  Dedicated  to  the  Churches  of  Christ 
in  N.  England,  a  motion  to  have  it  first  view'd  by  his  Honour, 
should  be  rejected  with  so  much  Disdain.     For  my  own  part,  The 
obstinate  Refusal  of  so  fair  an  Arbiter,  made  me  fear  some  foul 
Play  :  which  is  the  principal  Aw  that  I  remember  my  self  to  have 
been  under. 

"  In  fine,  the  Maintenance  of  my  self  &  Family  of  small  Children, 
depending  under  God,  upon  the  good  will  of  them  that  please  to  set 
me  on  Work,  I  have  no  intent  to  provoke  or  affront  any  person  or 
Order  of  men ;  but  to  oblige  them  so  far  as  is  consistent  with  clear 
ing  of  my  Reputation  ;  which  (as  little  and  low  as  I  am)  ought  to  be 
more  eligible  to  me  than  much  gainful  business.  And  now  having 
truly  and  uprightly  given  an  Account  of  my  doing  in  this  matter,  I 
humbly  submit  it  to  the  Charitable  Censure  of  every  judicious  & 
Impartial  Reader. 

"Boston,  Jauuary  10,  1700,  —  1.  B.  GREEN." 


• 


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